How to fall in love
by R0zes743
Summary: AU! How about saving your worst bully from being molested? Then make her promise to stop making your life hell unless she wants everybody to know how nerdy Natsu saved popular Lucy Heartifilia... Rated T for language. NaLu fanfic of course!
1. Chapter 1

**Guys, I'm truly sorry, but I couldn't resist. I had this idea that popped into my head and I wasn't able to support the temptation to write everything down. I'll try to write another chapter for** _ **the beauty and the beast**_ **fanfic this weekend. I really want to finish it before school restart. So yeah, basically, yesterday, I spent time re-reading some of my favorite fanfictions like** _ **Troublemaker from Layna Panda**_ **and in the majority of the fanfictions I read, it's practically always Natsu who is the bad guy who changes throughout the story. That's when I thought : What if I wrote a fanfiction where Lucy is the one who is mean at first, but then changes because she learns how wonderful normal people are. So yeah, NaLu fanfic as always because I think it is the greatest couple of all! Hope you like it! Longest chapter so far! Don't forget to leave a request if found it great or truly bad. I wanna know what you thought about it! So, Enjoy!**

The books all scattered to the floor as he fell abruptly to the ground. Strands of his spiky pink hair stood in front of his onyx eyes, blocking his view. Red rose up to his cheeks as he tried to quickly pick them up and get off her way. His heart started thundering in his chest and sweat appeared rapidly on his forehead as a certain blonde girl stood by him looking impatient.

 _Fuck_

"Would you mind hurrying up a bit? You are in my way" snapped a familiar blonde girl looking at her fingernails which she found clearly more interesting than the thing standing in her way

" Ye-yeah. I am so-sor-sorry" the pink haired boy stammered as an answer

"Then tell me why you are still there? You see I don't like to wait for trashes like you to get off my path. So annoying" she sighed dramatically

"If it's bothering you so much then why don't you just step aside and continue walking instead of insulting me and glaring at me like you were superior or something" but he just said that inside his head not wanting to risk being in more trouble than he already was.

"How dare you not answering my question! Are you deaf all of a sudden? Do you know who I am? I deserve your respect and you should obey to my every wish and command. After all, my simple name could kick you out of this school since my father is the principal. So apologize for not answering my question. And… YOU! The stripper, yeah you, help him clean the mess he just made by running into my boyfriend." She continued in her habitual bitchy tone.

"O-Okay" he said flustered as he hurried up to the other student still on the floor still trying to get all his books back in his backpack. It wasn't his fault if he liked so much dragon books…

The blonde turned to the said boyfriend she had mentioned earlier , forgetting about the apologizing thing and practically cried, faking tears: "Poor you, that nerdy thing touched you and because of that I can't stand your company for the whole day unless you wash yourself at least a dozen times. Anyway, I don't think I am difficult, I mean I don't mind marching were these things had before, because if I were, the stinky janitor would have to follow me all around the school…"

"You're perfect babe, that's why I am in couple with you. Else I wouldn't be" the blonde boyfriend answered her.

"Oh, I know that!" she answered him, giggling stupidly

 _What the fuck, that girl perfect? She treats us like pieces of shit and thinks she's better than anyone else. She's disgusting._

"Hey, you shit head! It's your entire fault! Because of you I am forced to take a dozen showers and be away from Lucy more than an hour! I hope you are happy now, always trying to ruin the happiness of others by your only presence. C'mon man, why don't you just disappear from the Earth? It would help us so much!" he yelled at the attention of Natsu struggling to stand, hurt by all the horrible things he said.

Gray stood by his side, his pants already gone and patted his shoulder.

"C'mon flame brain, let's get out of here" he told him gently and dragged him to the entrance door.

"Yeah, I guess it's the better thing to do ice cone" he told him back, a fake grin appearing on his handsome face.

"You guys are such dumbass, giving you weird names like this! Stripper and pinky princess would be more convenient" a too familiar voice added.

Lisanna, his childhood best friend. Always trying to do everything possible to be accepted in the popular gang even denying her best friend. She always had been like that. Popularity was all that ever mattered to her. The main reason why they met probably was because Natsu was the most known children of their primary school because of the excessive amount of fights he always got in. Then again, popularity was all that interested her, so one day; she started talking to him gently. Natsu always so naïve didn't understand what she already had planned in her head and considered her rapidly as a member of his own family, somebody in which he had trust. When High School arrived, Natsu decided to stop fighting all the time and tried to concentrate on his grades since he thought it should be his priority… So, here we are now… two months away from the ball, event that all the girls have dreamed of since they were little. And basically, life couldn't be worse.

"Afraid of us dudes? Ball is approaching… Don't wonder why you'll be going alone! Ah, I mean who would want to go with you anyway? Am I wrong guys?" she said to the popular gang completely ignoring her.

Natsu, this time truly smiled.

 _That's all you deserve, bitch!_

"Flame brain, could you wait a sec? I forgot the gift for my girlfriend!" Gray yelled so that everybody around would hear.

"Yeah, I'll wait, but were you obliged to yell? I mean I know you want everybody to know you are dating Juvia so that they stop saying nobody wants you, but I am sure there is another way to make them know. Anyway, it is not like they were listening to us."

"Sorry, it gets to me and I'm just tired of hearing them talk shit all the time."

"Don't worry ice cone, I couldn't understand you better. But would you mind hurrying up a bit, I don't want to be late to the arcades. They got this new zombie game and I mean I don't have any homework left, got plenty of time to do them during dinner sitting alone at our table" he told him urgently

"I'm ready" he answered him closing at the same time his locker's door which was covered of Juvia pictures.

"Dude, I wonder what it feels like to fall in love…" Natsu told him as they started walking in the direction of the entrance door which they called "path to liberation" because of the fact that the bullies couldn't kind of reach them when they were finally out of school.

"Hum, it's kinda hard to explain. It's like weird. I knew I was in love with her when I had difficulty to articulate while talking to her, I was stammering all the time, my heart was also beating so fast I thought my rib cage would explode and I was sweaty and red as a tomato…" He whispered him afraid other people might hear.

"Well these symptoms, I had them all the minute before when I was struggling on the ground and Bitch number one was insulting me. If one thing is sure, I am not in love with that disgusting creature. I hate her so much!" He practically yelled to the attention of Gray which started laughing his ass off.

"That's why it is hard to explain…" he said through sets of intensive chuckling.

-X-

Bloody brains were covering the whole screen as Natsu kept shooting more and more zombies arriving from all directions faster as the levels went by. The game was cool, but he still preferred the one with dragons in it. In that game, instead of killing the dragons like he was doing with the zombies, you had to pick one and raise him. Natsu had naturally cracked for the big red one which he named Igneel because it sounded cool and was similar to his family name. Igneel was the strongest and the most gorgeous dragon he had ever seen in his entire life. Even all the ones he saw in the many books he read weren't as great as him. He remembered spending days and days at the arcade not even bothering to shower so that his dragon could continue to evolve. On the wood board at the entrance door of the arcades, all the highest scores were written accompanied by the name or pseudonym of the person who made it. Natsu's name was practically everywhere since he liked to spend time in this place. It helped him feel better after the rough days he always had at school. This place made him forget all his problems. It made him survive the day and not commit suicide like the bullies at his school suggested.

"Natsu, we are closing" said the owner to his favorite customer.

Beside Gray, Gildarts, the arcades owner was one of his only and best friend even though he was way older than him.

"So, how was the game?" he inquired a wide smile plastered across his face.

"Great…" he started

"But let me guess it doesn't beat the dragon one, right?" he questioned

"Right" he admitted.

Natsu let out a noisy yawn escape his lips as he place politely his hand in front of his mouth.

"You like more tired than usual" Gildarts said worried

"Shit happened at school again?" he inquired

"Yeah" Natsu said trying to escape from the interrogatory that was coming sooner or later

"Wanna talk about it?"

"Nope! It's boring since it's the same thing every day, except this time I bumped into Miss Perfect's boyfriend… Can you imagine the drama? Hugh!" the pink haired boy told him.

"Natsu, you can't endure this anymore, you have to make it stop! It's been four years that you've endure this shit! Soon it will be five! You've gotta do something about it!" Gildarts told him furious of the behavior of these foolish students.

"Look, it's practically over. I guess I can endure it for two more months…"

"What are you planning on doing to the ball? Don't tell me you are going to go alone? It will be your worst nightmare. These bullies will be worse than usual, I am telling you!" Gildarts warned him

"I can't control that! I can't make somebody fall in love with me! And I am such a bad actor! I can't fake to appreciate somebody I hate!"

"Try to talk to more people, make them know you."

"Wait is Lisanna here? I think I heard her said that last sentence! There's no way I am doing this. I'd rather go alone. Popularity isn't something I wish I had in life. After all, I have already been and I can assure you it isn't cool at all!" he said aggressively.

"Look, promise me you will think about it alright?"

"Yeah, yeah, whatever… Sweet dreams! I am going home! Yay…"

"Sweet dreams! And if you by any chance pass by the graveyard, say hello to your parents for me"

"I wish they were still here…"

"I too they were such great people"

"Guess the car accident that kill them didn't know that" he answered him sarcastically.

"I'm leaving now, I have school tomorrow, I'm so excited!" he added, sarcastic.

He walked to the door, turned the doorknob and got out.

"Something's telling me you might not be alone anymore soon enough" Gildarts whispered so that only he could hear and smiled.

-X-

Thin water drops started falling from the ceiling slowly replaced by bigger ones.

 _Great! Just what I needed_

Natsu, determined not to screw his dragon books, probably the thing he cherished the most, placed his backpack under the hoodie he was wearing. The small amount of water that had already covered the major part of it was cold against his thin t-shirt. He marched rapidly, trying his best not to be too wet when coming home. The path was slippery due to the shitty weather. At least two times, he practically fell on his butt. Luckily he was able to regain his balance on time saving his beloved books. His hair already wet and dripping, he decided not to put his hood and continue walking rapidly towards his house which was luckily close to the arcade.

Crossing an alley, he stopped dead. He had heard somebody screamed he was sure of it. Wet and frozen, he came back to where he heard the yell and froze on the spot. Lucy Heartfilia was crushed between a wall and a stranger whose intentions weren't hard to know.

"Somebody help me!" Lucy kept screaming as the guys hands were starting to run to places she didn't wanted them to.

Feeling he would regret it, he came closer to the two people

"I would gladly like to, but I'll probably accidentally touch you and I'd be in your way. So farewell Miss, have a great time. I promise I won't tell your boyfriend…" Natsu said truly enjoying the moment

"No wait…"

"Oh don't tell me your father is going to kick me out of school if I don't help princess popularity…"

"Fuck yo…No wait please; I am sorry for what I told you! I promise I won't do it again if you help me"

"Yeah right, like I could trust you!"

"Please! I promise on my own head."

"Beg and I may change my mind"

"Never!"

The pervert totally shocked by the scene he was victim of had stopped his doings and was kinda confused, too shocked to try something. He was kind of afraid of the pinky haired male. His wet hoodie was glued to his skin and was taking the shape of his muscular arms. He thought it might be wise to see if he would go away or not before tempting something new.

"Have a nice time then" Natsu answered faking to get back from where he came from.

"I'm, I'm beg… I'm begging you asshole to save me!" she cried out for him

"That was nicely said, though, I didn't like the fact that you treated me of asshole. So I would like you to repeat your whole sentence but to change asshole by Natsu the greatest man of all"

"I hate you!"

"Don't bother I feel the same way. Anyway, I didn't hear you guess I'll just have to leave…" he told her smirking and stepping back.

"Fine! I'm begging you Natsu the greatest man of all to save me" she whispered so only her could hear it.

"Louder please!" he teased.

"I'M BEGGING YOU NATSU THE GREATES MAN OF ALL TO SAVE ME!FEELING GREAT NOW?" she yelled at him panicked and scared.

"Thank you! I didn't know you were feeling this way towards me! Just kidding!" He told her a wide toothy grin appearing at the corner of his full lips.

He must admit, for a brief instant he considered going back home and ignoring the whole situation thinking about all the shit she put him through, but then, Gildarts words came in his head…

 _Try to talk to more people, make them know you._

 _Fuck you Gildarts_

"You dude! Would you mind getting out of here? If you do, you won't be harm, but otherwise I can't guarantee you anything." Natsu said while glaring at the pervert seriously.

The pervert didn't wait too long and ran away not wanting to get hurt like a coward. As he passed beside Natsu, the pink haired boy punched him to the side of the head knocking him out cold and took out his cellphone to call the cops.

"That's okay, don't call the cops. I don't think he'll start again"

"You don't touch females unless you have their consent, bastard" he told him even though he couldn't hear him. Natsu couldn't help it. He had always dreamed to say this sentence while saving a lady in distress. Of course, if he had to choose he wouldn't have picked that one for personal reasons…

"Hey… Natsu, you don't talk about this story at school or else it will turn out bad for you" she said slowly getting back to her normal self

"Are you threatening me? Look, I won't talk about this little incident, but only if you also keep you promise. You stop insulting me and my friends. You are the leader of your little gang so the bullying will probably stop. Alright? " he inquired

"I only promise to stop insulting you, not your stripper friend" she said arrogantly

"And I only promised I wouldn't talk about this whole fiasco at school. That means that if I see your boyfriend out of school I might let the truth slip out…" He answered her.

"You, you wouldn't dare"

"Look, it isn't because I was stammering at school that it means that I am going to let you pull me down. I am not afraid of you anymore because I have a weapon to fight back. Before, I didn't have one."

"But, what makes you think they are going to trust you? I mean, between the two of us, they will clearly think I said the truth way before you"

"That's why I filmed you…" he said grinning wickedly

"What do you mean?" she answered him panicked

"Remember when I took out my cellphone to "call the cops" it came to me that they wouldn't trust me and so I filmed you all along since" he told her proud

"You are bluffing; I don't see your cellphone" she said anxious

"I filmed quickly your face once so that your little friends could see your (disgusting, he whispered it) face and then I made him film the floor so that you wouldn't noticed and spilled out the truth. Wanna see it for yourself?" He inquired so proud of himself.

"Alright, alright. Turn off that phone. I promise I'll stop bullying you and your friend. Fine? Now erase that"

"Nope, because I don't trust you at all"

"Me neither"

"Look we got school tomorrow, I am tired. If I don't keep my promise you can restart bullying me and if you keep bullying me, well I show them the video. Okay?"

"Okay" she said stepping aside taking out her cellphone to call a taxi

"Wait, to seal the contract, we must shake hands…" he said smiling

"No way!"

"C'mon, it's not that bad! I am a clean person. You won't be sick I promise"

"FINE!" she screamed, shook his hand vigorously and ordered herself a taxi

"Want me to wait with you until you get into that taxi in case that scumbag wakes up and decided to restart doing his shit?"

"I thought you were tired?"

"The deal was to save you. If he rapes you after I have left, I won't have really saved you…But if you want me to go, that's fine"

"Gosh! You are so annoying."

"Do I have to take this as a yes?"

"Hmm" she answered

"Sorry didn't understand. Yes or no?" he teased

"Yeah"

They waited a long fifteen minutes before the taxi finally came picking her up.

"Goodbye sweetheart! Can't wait to see you at school tomorrow" he told her smirking

She entered the car, buckled her seatbelt, shot him a look of pure disgust and raised her middle finger. In response, he showed him is cellphone. Panicked , she press down a button making the window slide a bit and apologized.

"That's better" were the last words she heard before going away in the direction of her house safely this time.

Finally he thought, life could be a bit worse.


	2. Chapter 2

**Hello everybody! Here we go for a second chapter of How to fall in love! The inspiration only came today. Sorry for keeping you wait. Here's another long chapter! Hope you will enjoy it! Oh, before I forget, if you have any request post them, I might use them in my story. I got one with Natsu having a YouTube account. I will modify this idea a bit, but in a future chapter, something might be related to YouTube! Don't forget to review! I appreciate your support as always!**

Natsu woke up that morning feeling strangely different. He sat in his bed hardly believing that what had happened last night was true. Usually, getting up every morning of the week was using all the strength left in his body. This time though, it was easy enough and the reason was simple… Everything had changed.

Today, when he would walk up to school, nobody would go around laughing at him or do anything that once was making his life hell. Once… That sounded too far away. After all, yesterday, he still was the nerdy pinky haired boy everybody liked to torture. Since last night, that boy would be part of the past, like the fighting one he left behind four years ago. People would finally accept him for who he was, he would get a girlfriend before prom and life would be perf…

 _What the fuck am I thinking of? That would be some shitty ending. I expect drama and I don't know, something more special than that happy ever after ending we see in cheesy romantic comedies._

Because yes, since the teenager spent most of his time alone at home, he needed to do something to make the time pass. Since, he had seen all the great movies that were actually interesting him; he didn't have any choices left but the ones he hated the most, girly movies. He called them that way because of the way the girls were screaming whenever they saw their crushes.

 _Like people were screaming like that in reality…Wait, does Sting count? He's always so annoying with his BABEEEEEEE here and BABEEEEEEE there. Give it a rest already fucking moron! Lucy already knows she is yours and anyway, it isn't like somebody would like to take your place, right? I mean some useless bitch, who needs that?_

Thinking about the next girly movie he would watch tonight after the closure of the arcades, he remembered **THE** similarity in all of the cheesy movies he had watch by now, which was that the girl always had a deep crush on the cool guy of the school.

 _What is so good about them anyway? The ending is always the same. Girls, couldn't you understand that the normal gentle guys are for the best?_

Right he was, because the girl always ended up figuring out her best friend was the one she truly needed. But mostly, the best friend would have had crush on her since the beginning of the movie of course, because they couldn't afford a sad ending. The girl couldn't end up alone, grow old and die. Nope, because nobody would want to watch that… but Natsu and most of the guys!

Natsu thought about what it would be like to be part of some kind of romantic movie. He associated himself as the principal character which was normally a girl, but who cared… He was in the same situation as her. The popular girl he would have a crush on would be… LUCY? Guess he would then be the best friend crushing on his friend all along which would be… GRAY? Wait, he didn't want to sound like a homophobe or something disgusting as a racist, but the exhibitionist freak he used to hang out with since the beginning of High School? Never! And it wouldn't even work. After all he had a girlfriend already. But anyway, he must admit he'd rather fuck Gray then even go on a date with Lucy Heartfilia, and that would never change. After all the things she did to him he would be crazy to fall for her or even have feelings towards her. It would totally be a form of Stockholm's syndrome, at least in a way… No? I mean, falling in love with your bully? The person you hate the most in the entire world?

 _That would be a good movie ending for some cheesy romance…_ _ **BULLSHIT, BULLSHIT, BULLSHIT!**_ (That was Natsu screaming like a delinquent inside his head because of the stupidity of his thoughts)

"Stop thinking about random shit and get prepared for school you dumbass!" He told himself

Leaving his bedroom and deciding not to shower because nobody would complain about it thanks to Lucy, he felt a bit guilty about the lie he told her yesterday when he said he was bathing everyday…

 _It's not like she cares about what I do and don't do…_

Making sure he wasn't at least stinking, he lifted his arms up, the horrible smell of onions getting into his nostrils. As his eyes watered due to the horrible smell, he took some deodorant and applied at least half of the content mixing the putrid odor to the sweet perfume of well hum… manliness? And sprayed cologne all over his body, even in his boxers…

 _Who knows what might happen today_

Breathing hard due to the horrible odor of the cologne mixed up with the sweat and deodorant, he finally decided to take a quick turn to the shower.

 _Might not be a bad idea after all…_

Getting out fifteen minutes later, he practically jumped looking at the time on his alarm clock. Ten minutes before leaving and still so much things to do…

Dressing quickly with the first things he found in his drawer, not even bothering to make sure they fit, he got off his bedroom, walk down the stairs and headed to the kitchen.

Putting some toasts in the toaster, his wet hair still dripping, he was glad to see that this time they weren't burnt down to ashes.

 _That's a clue today is going to be a great day!_

The simple minded teenager than "decorated" his toast (he actually put food everywhere, but on the toast… Cooking skills!)

"I'll clean that later" he then again whispered to himself as he push the whole naked piece of bread in his mouth and headed upstairs to brush his teeth.

Brushing his teeth had always been important to him since the day Gray had treated him of "fire breath"

Not understanding it was just a friendly insult, nothing hidden behind it, he had started brushing them right after he ate, even if it only was a snack…

Getting out of the house five minutes left, practically forgetting to lock the door, Natsu ran to his bus stop and arrived on time.

The doors of the gigantic thing packed of grumpy people opened. Natsu climbed the four steps, sat and waited for the bus to bring him to what he used to call Hell.

Natsu looked around at all these people he was seeing every morning, heading to different places, the same straight face he had learn to know by heart. Would they notice the humor change he was victim of because of a certain event that happened yesterday night? Probably not….

He turned and stared at the sky through the window. He was a bright blue today. Even though he hated that color because of Ice Cone, he had to admit that for the first time in his entire life, blue had never seemed so beautiful. The way it was invading the whole sky, pushing away the grey clouds that presaged some bad weather…

 _What a great day it will be_

-X-

"Yo, pinky shit!" said a laughing boy Natsu knew too well.

"What do you want jerky jock?" he answered not even bothering to look him in the eyes.

"What's with this change of humor of yours? Think you are greater than me now?"

"Maybe you've grown weaker during the night, I don't know, but I am pretty sure I could take you down anytime you want if this is what you are looking for."

The blonde jock turned around looking desperately at his girlfriend. Something in his face told the teenager he was waiting for her to say something. It was time to see if she would keep her promise or not. Reaching in his pocket to grip his dear phone, ready in case she would start shooting insults at him, he felt the emptiness of his pocket took all of the hair left in his lunges. Trying to fake he had it close to him and was ready to use it if he needed to, Natsu glared at the blonde girl and waited for her answer. A look of panic was readable in her eyes which made him smile wickedly.

"Won't you say something?" Sting asked her, breaking the awkward silence

"Let's go, we've got nothing to do here"

"Babe, are you serious? You are going to let him win?" he asked her rage in his eyes

"I said let's go" she repeated herself firmly

"Don't think it's over shit head. I don't know what you did to my girlfriend…"

"Oh plenty of things you don't want to figure out" he said sarcastically

"What do you mean? You did something to her bastard?"

Lucy turned around tears threatening to fall from her eyes as her fists were trembling with anger.

"Dude, you're stupid or what? That was obviously a joke!" He told him, winking at Lucy devilishly

"How dare you wink to my girlfriend you fucking bastard. You are dead meat!"

"C'mon, I'm already waiting for you"

But before Sting could take a step further from the said male, something tugged his arm the other way dragging him away.

"What are you doing?" he inquired as he stared at Lucy with astonishment.

"I already told you we were leaving and you know I hate to wait!" She snapped, letting go brusquely of his arm.

"It's not over shit head! I'll come for you when you won't be expecting it!"

And with that he left cuddling his girlfriend madly, begging for her pardon.

-X-

"I want you to explain me what is wrong with you today"

"There's nothing wrong with me!" she yelled looking at him with a flustered face

"Could you be on your period? Because I would totally understand your behavior…" he started

Her hand came quicker than he thought and hit him hard on the cheek. As he placed his hand where hers was seconds ago, he felt his burning skin and already imagine the tint of it.

The noise resulting of her slap made most of the students in the hall turn around looking curious. Judging by their smiling faces, the place where she had hit him probably had the trace of her great thin palm… How embarrassing. Never before had he, Sting Eutcliffe been humiliated that way!

He stormed off, clearly wondering what had gotten into his girlfriend today. Thinking over and over, he couldn't understand her strange behavior. After calming down, he would talk to her in private. She would probably explain him everything and things would get back to normal.

He hadn't forgotten the strange behavior of Natsu Dragneel as well. What had happen to him? Yesterday, he was cowering to the floor, practically begging their pardon and today he was being arrogant ad aggressive towards the male which was totally getting on his nerves. What the heck had happened? Was the strange behavior of these two people related in some ways?

He needed to figure that out. Lucy could be pretty stubborn sometimes, so if he couldn't get the truth form her; he would get it from the pink haired silly after beating him up badly enough so that he couldn't stand correctly for a while.

Popping out of his practically murderous thoughts, Sting realized he would be late for class if he didn't hurry up. It wasn't like history was interesting, but still, since he was in the same class as Lucy, he could have an eye on her the whole time and see if her acting would change with other people close or far from her.

 _What's wrong with you? Having a bad day Lucy?_

-X-

Leaving her history class, Sting had asked her to talk in private in a dark corner so that nobody could see them. She didn't like the idea at first since it reminded her of last night, but she knew she could trust Sting, so she reticently agreed to follow him. If things had to turn wrong, somebody could maybe help her. At this rate, the sabotage of her reputation wouldn't matter. Her safety would become her priority.

"Why have you been so strange today? I don't understand" he inquired politely

"I told you! There is nothing wrong with me. Now would you quit asking me questions? It clearly is annoying!"

"I want explanations. You aren't acting normally."

"What do you mean I am not acting normally?"

"Are you serious? You truly don't know?"

Lucy faked to ignore the truth. He didn't know about her promise and that was perfect that way. She would continue to deny everything until she would be forced to.

"First, you don't support me when that faggot started getting all pumped up and insulted me…"

"That was none of my concern. I will not always be there to back you up. You should learn to defend yourself on your own. It is a shame you have to rely on a woman to do that!"

"None of your concern? In other words you didn't care at all! But let me tell you something! Whenever you get into trouble, I am always there for you. I have never let you down!"

"You have!"

 _Yesterday… You weren't there when I needed you_

"No I haven't! Whenever you need me, I am always there for you. I always stand up for you."

"Then explain… Forget it. I'm leaving" she yelled at him, as she was close to spill the truth.

"No, wait! I am not done with you! Secondly, you didn't when that shit winked at you! Normally, when a nerd did that, you were letting me beat the shit out of him."

Lucy turned back, pissed, the tears appearing at the corner of her eyes out of frustration and rage.

"I didn't want to wait. I already told you that. You've got it all wrong!" she cried

Hating when she cried, but relieved she didn't practically killing the nerdy pinky haired boy, Sting let her go, knowing she wanted some time alone. He had been with her for a while now. He knew that she hated it when he ran after her. Their fight would get even worst.

"I'll see you later then" He yelled after her

"After all, I have a fight to attend… Natsu fucking shit, wait for me" he whispered low so that only he could hear it

-X-

Her heart sank at once. It was over. She had crossed the line that kept her safe from the people to discover the truth.

The milk poured down his neck making goosebumps appeared on the touched regions of his body. The eyes of the pinky haired man turned red with fury. His fangs, stretched out of his mouth as one of fist rose in the hair rapidly. Gray sitting by his side knew perfectly well what happened after the apparition of this expression on his friend's face. Destruction…

Gray tried to restrain his friend. Seeing he was escaping his grip, he tighten it, sure he was doing the right thing.

"That's right, little animal. Let your little slut bring you back into your cage" yelled the blonde haired male as everybody in the room laughed. Some people were filming the whole scene probably planning on posting the whole battles on their personal accounts.

 _Idiots_

Lucy restrained herself from chuckling , hoping she might have a chance to keep her reputation. After all, it wasn't her fault. He had provoked him on his own. Lucy secretly wished that her boyfriend would beat him up so badly that she could steal him his phone and make things get back to normal. But, another part of her was feeling guilty. If he hadn't been there yesterday, she would have probably been in even greater trouble talking popularity… So she silenced herself pushing away the guilty feelings she had towards the pink haired guy.

As she looked back at what was happening, she didn't recognize the guy that saved her yesterday. His face was monstrous, deformed with the rage that was taking possession of his body. He looked more animal then human. The milk was covering the major part of his shirt. It made it stick to his body which was pretty muscular. She heard girls of all type squealed all around her, probably enjoying the view. As she turned around, she noticed even some of her best friends were screaming like idiots while normally they would be by her side insulting the guy.

 _I guess only the physic matters to them… Oh well_

Getting back into the fight that would sooner or later explode, she noticed that the "beast" wasn't restrained anymore. She guessed the insults had gotten to him as well. Looking as mad as his friends, Lucy noticed most of his clothes had disappeared. He was standing by Natsu's side only wearing boxers.

Girls screamed even louder practically falling from their chairs.

"What is it big boy? Afraid you might both get beat up by me?" he asked them arrogantly

"What about you? Kneeling in front of blondie and begging for her pardon…" he retorted and pointed Lucy.

His muscles contracted under the impact of the anger. He started approaching quickly the pink haired boy fists raised ready to knock him out.

"Gray, leave him to me…Please"

"No way! He said I was a slut!"

"Look, we are both going to lose to that bastard. If I am knocked out, take my place alright?"

"We both know this won't happen…" he started, but didn't get the time to finish. The first fist hit him full in the face while the other one reached his stomach. Gray fell down, unconscious, blood flooding from his slip lip.

Angrier, Natsu didn't wait for him to shout other insults. He was on fire now! So, he jumped on the blondie looking at the girls and sending them kisses as they squealed at his "bravery".

 _They are all the same! Bitches!_

Sting surprised by this attacked was stuck to the floor on his belly as Natsu took his by the shirt and ripped it off as he tried to lift him.

 _Douchebag shirts… Tearing easily… Fucking Christ, is this supposed to be a man?_

Taking this opportunity, Sting tackled him with his free legs. Then, he placed himself on top of the pink haired guy and started hitting him on the face. Natsu shielding himself with his arms was desperately trying to free his legs from the big shit that was standing on him. Tired of hitting the arms of his favorite victim, Sting tried to find his weakness. He couldn't protect all of his body all at once…

As his attention shifted to look where he should hit next, his weight loosened on his enemy as he rolled to the side thinking he might get a chance to vanquish him if they both stood again on their feet. After all, all he had been doing for the moment was injuring him a little bit and wasting his energy.

The guy wasn't really bright… but anyway…

Natsu stood up taking this opportunity that came way to easily to establish a strategy to knock him out cold. He noticed that his adversary was only protecting his chest, but not the precious things that were under that…

A devilish grin appeared on his face as he jumped yet again in the hear close enough to his enemy to execute his plan. In mid-air, he stuck out his leg and kicked the man right in the face by surprise. Natsu wasn't really aiming at this place, but the kick had been hard enough to make the man fall on his back this time. As the blood rushed out of his nose, sting decided it would be wise to protect his badly injured figure.

Another bad decision

Natsu, seeing his first target wasn't protected at all, approached quickly and kicked him hard in the balls. As a reflex, sting pressed his hands against the region that was hurting leaving his face free for more punches as well as his stomach.

Having a bit of pity for the manhood of his adversary, thinking he might not even be able to have children in the future, he knock him hard in the stomach two or three times before finishing him off with a final powerful kick were his rib cage was.

"Just so you know, my hair isn't pink, it's salmon" he shouted

 _Another lame hero sentence (thought Lucy)_

The man not able to endure the pain anymore, lose consciousness as Gray woke up from his trance fast enough to watch the face Natsu made every time he won when he used to fight a lot.

Lucy was shocked, but less impressed then the first time she had seen him knock out that pervert in only one blow. The words were stuck to her lips. She was frustrated, but relieved at the same time. It seemed her reputation would be alright after all. Analyzing her thoughts, she practically hit herself for thinking this way. Her boyfriend was knocked out cold on the floor and yet she was happy because her reputation wouldn't be ruined? What was wrong with her? Maybe sting was right… Maybe she had…Changed? No! She refused that. To repair her mistake, she ran out of the cafeteria where all the shit had happen and ran to the principal's office, her father's office.

Natsu was in trouble, he knew it.


	3. Chapter 3

**Hello! It's been a while, but here's another chapter! I would especially like to thank** _ **FatherPHD**_ **for her/his request! As you can see I used it! Thanks to you, it gave me the inspiration to write this new chapter! I truly appreciate it! Now, I've got plenty of ideas related to this for the next chapters. So thanks again! If somebody else as a request, send it! It might be useful! Finally, I would like to thank you all for your support and reviews! I truly appreciate it! Already 25 followers! I wasn't expecting that much in such a short amount of time! I am thrilled right now! I love you guys so much!**

 **Enjoy!**

The pride he felt at the moment slowly turned to panic as a certain blonde haired girl had disappeared. Natsu looked around, puzzled and worried of the behavior of the said girl. Where could have she wandered off to? He was persuaded that she had been there seconds ago as he was fighting that jerk she called her boyfriend. Did he make her go away by beating the shit outta him, knocking him out cold? He was convinced the reason of her departure wasn't that simple.

 _Think… Think… There could be plenty of reasons! Goddamit!_

Trouble… That's what he would be in not so far away in the future for picking a fight with one of the most popular jock of the school.

 _As long as nobody tells the principal, I should be… FUCK!_

Suddenly, in his simple mind, the answer to is main question was answered, practically on her own. The pink haired boy, adrenaline pumping his veins making him forget the pain, sprinted towards the exit door, the quest to find the blonde before it was too late surging his body to cooperate. But, what would happen when he'd reach her? He couldn't simply tell her not to betray him, if he could say it that way… after all; it wasn't like they were some kind of allies or something.

 _Surely I can convince her not to do this. There must be a way!_

Threatening her was, since not long ago, the only method that had work on the girl. But, what could he threaten her whit this time? He still had that video of her admitting he saved her and everything, but he already knew what she would reserve him if he betrayed her. The bullying would continue, but not only for him, also for his one and only friend (Lisanna wasn't considered as one anymore).

Natsu pouted as he continued to run trying at the same time to find a way to escape from the horrible situation he had put himself into.

Suddenly, a familiar girl got the corner of her eyes. She was standing in front of a large wooden door and by the look on her face; he knew that it was only a matter of time before it was the end of him.

 _Okay, think fast! Think fast Jesus Christ! I must take her away form that door. And then, and then… We'll see._

Natsu look at himself, trying to find an object that could help him save the whole situation. Something white with a scale pattern made him grin wickedly as an idea popped into his idiotic mind. Taking of his dragon scaled scarf, Natsu firmly gripped each side of it and approached its prey.

Natsu being careful not to make any noise, already lucky she hadn't notice him; he started approaching her slowly and quietly. Arriving in her back, at an arm-length distance, he threw his scarf over the head of the said woman without letting go of it. Unable to see anymore, Natsu pulled the piece of clothing towards him, bringing the suffocating girl along with it. Even though he didn't look like it, that scarf was pretty large. As the girl drew nearer him, her fists raised into the air, punching in every direction, he noticed restraining his chuckling that her face was totally covered with it, making her look truly stupid. Carefully escaping her attempts to kinda murder him with her bare fists, he let go of the scarf and let him land on the floor slowly as a weird wind push him away from the two.

What the fuck? Where is this coming from…

The girl now free from his grip turned around her face red with frustration. If she used to be scared, she was hiding it perfectly.

"You pervert! How dare y…" he cut her off by placing on of his huge hands on her mouth blocking all the songs while the other one still free grabbed both her hands in one firmly.

"I don't like this place. Let's get out of here." He told her way too calmly.

Even though he didn't show it, Natsu was pretty relieved nobody was around. What would have they thought if they had seen them like that? Things he didn't even want to think of…

As he pulled on her hands, he was surprised at the fact that she didn't show any resistance and followed him even though she wasn't aware of whatever he was thinking of at the moment.

Feeling like he could trust her silence, he let go of her mouth and placed his hand on his neck, place where he usually liked to tug at his scarf whenever he was stressed. Though, this time, his fingers encountered soft tan skin ruined by an ugly scar.

 _Where is…_

"Ugh, you know what? Let's go back to where we were. I kinda forgot something really important.

 _It probably fell to the floor when I let go of it to silence her properly._

"Are you talking about this messy and filthy thing?" She inquired in a poisonous tone.

As he glared down at what she was gawking at, a little tray of blood came out of his nose as he hurried to turn his face away from her so that she couldn't see how red he was… But most of all, how of a pervert he looked.

The scarf was resting on her covered breasts and he didn't dare picking it up, feeling it might turn out wrong.

"I'd likely give it to you, but you see I can't use my hands right now" she told him as he wasn't doing anything, just standing there, looking petrified.

"If I let go of them, you are going to tell the principal what I did and I'll be in trouble."

"And if I stay like this, you'll never get your scarf back. Though, judging by your reaction, I might be wrong" she answered him as she gawked straight at his nosebleed.

Using one his hands, he wiped the blood off quickly and approached the same hand to pick up his scarf trying to prove her wrong in a way.

Looking at his hand coming closer, she open her mouth to scream, but he was faster and covered it up quickly.

"What am I going to do? I really want my scarf… and anyway, I don't understand! Why didn't when I let go of your mouth earlier?" he whispered looking seriously into her chocolate brown orbs.

Expecting an answer, he waited, but it didn't come. He stared at her face and saw her giving him a death glare. She then looked down towards his hand covering her mouth. She was giving her a pretty simple clue, but the stupid boy was looking at her still not understanding the meaning of her gesture.

"Hey! At least you could answer me!" He huffed at her, disappointed.

"Mmmmmh" She tried to articulate.

"What? I don't understand what you are saying. Let me help you out" he murmured as he place his hand to the side of her face which resulted in making her blush.

"What's with the face?" he questioned puzzled.

"Get your hands off me you creep!" she squealed as she tried to escape his firm grip.

"Calm down or I'm shutting you off again" He told her brutally.

She felt silent instantly. As a reward, he let his hand fall to the side of his body, where it should have been since the beginning.

"Now answer me. Why weren't you screaming when I let go of your mouth in the first place" he inquired, sparkles of interest gleaming in his onyx eyes.

"When I saw it was only you, I knew you wouldn't try to do some disgusting things molesters do, but I guess I was wrong." She told him in a mean way.

As an answer, he pinched her angrily on the nose his face growing hotter.

"Hey! That hurts, bastard!" She yelled as he covered her mouth again.

"I've warned you. And anyway, I've got all the informations I needed." He told her softly and teasingly.

"Now, you are probably wondering what I will do to you, right?" He inquired.

She bit savagely his hand as an answer. Supporting the intense pain running through his wounded palm, he resisted the envy to slap her hard on the face, because after all, she still deserved a little respect.

As he cursed under his breath, he explain her aloud his worries and what he was planning on doing to make sure they wouldn't come true.

"So, basically, I don't want you little brat to tell everything to your daddy and me winding up being expelled of this school. So, I must admit, I still don't have any idea, but in the future I will. Now, I promise that if you tell a word of what happen to your father I'll blackmail you the worst way possible and you'll regret it, I swear." He told her in a sinister tone.

To end up his words, he let go of both her hands and mouth and left her alone where he had met her, forgetting to take his scarf which was still resting in place on her huge chest. As she glared down at it, she quickly took a hold of it and wrapped it like a ball which she tried to hide in her small palms. This way, she looked even weirder. People would be wondering what she had in her hands and weird rumors would start going around.

Dinner wasn't over, so she still had a chance to throw it safely into her locker and give it back to its proper owner someday. Looking at her wrist a bit swollen due to the grip of Natsu, she looked at her watch and literally panicked. There was only two minutes left before it was too late. She had to hurry or else she would end up being in trouble.

She started running and felt relieved as she saw her locker drew nearer. Getting to it in a short matter of time, she quickly opened her padlock after struggling to remember her password for two or three times and pick up her books. She then headed to class and sat at her usual place breathing in relief.

The bell rang, and the class began.

 **-X-**

The end of the day went pretty quickly and without problems. Furthermore, Natsu was really looking forward his usual meeting with Gildarts at the arcade. They had had been away from each other for less than twenty four hours and so much had happen in such a short time. He was kinda excited to tell him how he beat the shit outta two guys and maybe had a bit more juicy details that would make him seems even more like a hero.

As he picked up his things ready to leave, a hand patted him on the shoulder. He slowly turned around carefully placing his bag in place protecting his precious dragon books. He was relieved to see it only was Gray ready to accompany him as well. He looked rather furious, but that was to be understood since he had been humiliated in front of the whole school because of the incident of earlier in the day. Anyway, this memory was now owned by the past. It was time to move on.

Natsu thought it was best not to talk about the subject, not wanting to upset Gray even more. And so they started walking their way home on the path silently. As they reached Gray's street, Natsu didn't bother waving goodbye, knowing Gray wasn't in the mood for teasing or even talking. And so, he went to the Arcade on his own.

As he entered, he felt kinda gloomy and awkward. Being in here without Gray was rather strange. He wasn't accustomed to it at all. Though, a smiling adult came toward him and his only presence was all he needed for a smile to spread across his lips once more.

"Hey! Where's Gray" said a worried Gildarts.

"Wasn't in the mood for video games today" the pinky haired boy answered simply.

"Is he alright?"

"Yeah, don't worry, he'll be just fine." Natsu assured him.

"If you say so… Now, tell me, what's bringing you here? I know you like video games, but somethings telling me you've got to tell me something rather important" He told him smiling wickedly.

And so, Natsu told him the entire story, starting from the point when he left and ending his narrating with him coming to the Arcade to make him know the strange events that had happened since yesterday night.

"So basically, you are looking for a way to make sure she doesn't spill all the truth to the principal huh? Well, I think my idea might please you."

"You know I hate suspense! Now just tell me what it is!" He told him impatient.

"How about creating a YouTube channel? This way you could meet new people and the video you have on your cellphone could go viral if she ever betrayed you…"

"That sounds great! But would you mind cutting the crap about me meeting new people! I told you I would try, but would you mind giving it a rest already?" Natsu tried to ask him politely.

"Yeah, as long as you try this. Then, I promise I'll leave you alone"

"Fine! But what am I supposed to do on this YouTube channel?" He inquired, kinda exasperated

 _Why is it so complicated?_

"Whatever you want!"

"That doesn't help me at all you know!" he practically yelled at him.

"Alright then, think about things you are good at…"

"Video games!"

"Well then why don't you do a channel about video games? You could do reviews about some since you've played a lot of them! I am sure you'd be a great youtuber!" Gildarts assured him optimistically.

"Looks like I'll be doing that!" Natsu told him happily.

"Well then, what are you still doing here? Don't just stand here! Create that diabolical youtube challenge so that the girl could really be scared you'd put that video on the internet!"

"You're right! See you then!" Natsu said as he reach for the door and slowly walk down the street into the practically pitch black darkness.

 **-X-**

Natsu looked at his computer wondering whether he really should do this or not.

 _I could meet hot chicks out there!_

And that simple reason erased all the doubts that had rose into his mind.

Natsu surely was an idiot.

Fifteen minutes later, his account was created, but still he needed to make videos so that people would notice him. Thinking hard, wanting to be original, Natsu spent practically an hour deciding whether or not the idea he had since the beginning of the creation of his youtube account was great. Tired of thinking, he decided he'd do it anyway, whether it would work or not.

Opening one of his multiple drawers, he pulled out his old camera and started filming himself playing. Uncomfortable with the idea of strangers seeing him and judging him, he decided it would be better for a first video just to film the screen without his face appearing on it. Maybe someday he'd brought up the courage to show his face to the subscribers of his channel, but not today, also to mention that he still didn't have any subscribers. Since his passion was dragons, he rapidly noticed that it wasn't hard to talk about something he liked for fifteen minutes. One of his dragon games was obviously something he liked to talk about. He also loved to make jokes about some things that were perfectly wrong with the game which was explaining why it wasn't exactly his favorite, but still remained fun to play.

Natsu was surprised, but in a good way to see that his video had a great length. Now, all that was left to do was to post it. The task surely wasn't difficult, but he was putting his honor in great danger. If the video didn't work, and he made a fool out of himself, he didn't know if he'd be able to take it. Not that he'd commit suicide, no! But he'd probably never trust Gildarts ever again.

Cursing his fellow companions whom he considered as a brother, he posted it.

 **Reviews please! :)**


	4. Chapter 4

**Hello! I just wanted to publish this chapter quickly so that it could be like sort of a gift because I kept you waiting longer than I thought I would!**

 **Enjoy and please review!**

It had been a week since he had posted the video and still, he hadn't any subscribers or likes. The video in itself had only been seen, judging by the number he had seen on the screen, by four people. That wasn't a lot. Feeling desperate, Natsu left his house thinking about another video that might this time workout. Maybe dragons were something unusual that people didn't like… Anyway, he'd find something on his way home. He had waited enough. And most of all, something way more important than that needed to be solved. Since the principal scene with Lucy, he hadn't seen his precious scarf and that was making him incredibly mad and anxious. After all, this was a gift from his dead father. He couldn't be separated of it. He had to find it and something was telling him his ex-bully would be able to answer that question. Getting to this conclusion had taken him all his brain… and a week, but finally, he knew he'd get it back and soon. This time, his plan would work and at the same time, he could finally tell her he had found the proper and worst way to blackmail her. The YouTube channel was created, all that was left to do was to make it become popular, something that Natsu thought was easy, at first. So many things to do he thought has he started walking on the path in the direction of his school.

 **-X-**

Being in the same English class as Lucy, Natsu thought it was the perfect opportunity to drag her in a dark corner at the end of the class and give her a piece of his mind. Though, when he saw her enter the class that morning, something told him it might not be too wise to risk it. Her hair was all over her face and she really seemed tired.

It wasn't hard to know the reason why she was like that. Since the strange saving event that happened between him and her, the relationship between Sting and her started to deteriorate rapidly. It was a matter of time before they were through, he was sure of it.

Though, all that sympathy he felt towards her flew away when a little piece of white tissue caught his attention. The piece seemed to have a scaled pattern and was stuck between the stack of books she had thrown on her desk with great difficulty. She probably hadn't notice the scarf was there since the beginning, judging by the face she made. Before, only he touching her was enough to make her scream and wash herself a thousand time to wipe of the invisible germs she had created in her fucked up head.

Feeling relieved, Natsu thought he'd finally catch up to her after class and take back what was his.

 **-X-**

"Alright guys, open up your English textbook to page seventy-nine" the teacher call out.

Lucy's face widen as she started searching through her pile of books. She couldn't find the right one. As she noticed a certain piece of clothing, she stifled a cry and tried to hide it so that nobody could see it.

 _What is it doing here? I thought I'd thrown it in my locker some time ago. Hugh, guess I forgot he was there and it ended up being stuck between my notebooks. But anyway… what am I going to do with it now?_

Wishing she could burn it to ashes, Lucy tried to place her arms on top of it and let her face fall on the desk fainting she was sleeping in the class, or actually, she could fall asleep any minutes now thinking about how tired she was.

The noise she made while hiding the scarf made the teacher turn around and notice her. Her face hidden in the inside of her arms, she didn't see him come closer to her, wondering why she was acting so strangely.

"Miss Heartfilia, what are you hiding in here" he asked her.

Air flew out of her lungs as she knew she was screwed. The only solution that was left was to wear that damn scarf and feigned she was cold, which she quickly did.

"Why were you hiding that scarf dear?"

"I, I was cold and I kinda fell asleep so I woke up and realized class had already started and I was ashamed of myself for dozing off…" she said flustered. That wasn't completely a lie.

But, her moment of glory was quickly taken away by a familiar guy she now hated more than ever.

"Hey! What are you doing with my scarf! I've been looking for it a whole fucking week!" yelled Natsu panicked. He was the only one that could wear this scarf. He couldn't accept that some little bitch like her touch his most precious thing.

Lucy feeling it might not be over yet did the only thing that came up to her mind at the moment.

"Yeah right! That's my scarf you scumbag! You are just jealous because you don't have the money to buy yourself one!" she screamed trying to be credible

"That after noon, when I used it on you as a blindfold, you said it was filthy and that you didn't want it on your face" he responded back.

The students all looked around at Lucy which hair was messed, which seemed tired and red rose to their cheeks. It was too hard not to think dirty about the whole situation. First, he made sure she couldn't see and then god knows what he did to her in the afternoon… Something that made her work hard… Judging by the way she was looking this morning. He, on the other hand, surely looked like his normal self, but he always was tired and his spiky here was always all over his face so… Basically the hypothesis that the two had an adventure last night was plausible.

"H-Hey! Don't say it like that! It looks like we did some pervert stuff that way! And stop saying it's your scarf, its mine okay!"

"Look, I don't remember giving it to you when you were screaming so hard my eardrums were bleeding okay! Now give it back"

"Stop making it look like we did something inappropriate alright!" she cried trying to make him understand.

"Just give him back his darn scarf!" yelled a black haired dude at the back of the class.

He had piercings all over the face and his pitch black long hair made his red eyes look like they were popping out of their holes.

"Why should I give something that's mine to somebody I hate so much?" she inquired, impatient and flustered.

"It doesn't seem like you hate him that much judging by what you did with him… and anyway! That freak always is wearing this scarf no matter where he goes. I've never seen him without it in my entire existence! So, if I were you, I'd stop lying like a little bitch and give him back his darn scarf!" he told her back.

Flabbergasted by his comment, she didn't have a choice but to take off the scarf of her neck and bring it back to Natsu who was red with anger, but smiling when he got back his precious belonging.

"Now shall we continue the class?" the teacher asked unbothered by what had just happened.

 _My life is over! I made a fool out of myself and everybody is thinking that I had sex or something terribly wrong with Natsu. What am I going to do? That's even worse than him saving me! I just hope Sting won't hear about this!_

 _Ding! Dong!_

The bell rang and they all left the class rather quickly. Lucy headed rapidly to her locker looking down on the floor not wanting to cross the eyes of anybody. As the five minutes of pause they were all allowed to passed, Lucy decided her day couldn't be worse and walk straight back to class not even bothering to chit-chat with her friends as she usually did.

 _Darn that asshole! How could he do this to me? It's true it was his scarf, but was it that important? I mean couldn't he have waited at the end of the class to ask me to give it back? Why you! You're making my life hell! I wish you were never born Natsu Dragneel!_

As she entered the class, this time no Natsu to be seen around, somebody pulled her back and gripped her firmly by the shoulders making her turn around as the pain was unsupportable.

Her heart stop beating and the air stopped filling her lungs. Her blonde haired boyfriend was standing in front of her, hurt clearly readable in his sad eyes. When she looked at him, he turned his face away, tears threatening to fall, and whispered, trying not to cry: We need to talk.

Judging by his behavior, Lucy knew that in less than two hours she would be single. Though, not only did that mean she wouldn't have any more boyfriend, but also friends. She would have to sit alone at the cafeteria, have people laugh at her unpopularity but worst of all, she would see Lisanna take her place in the popular gang and that was something she would never forgive herself for.

All of this happened because she ended up being at the wrong place and at the wrong moment. She wished Natsu hadn't saved her but at the same time, god knows what might have happened if she had been left alone with that molester…

Lucy entered her class and let her head fall gently on the desk, determined not to listen to a single word the teacher would say, wanting to drown the pain in the depths of her sleep.

 **-X-**

The class ended and it was lunch. Lucy stayed at her desk not wanting to get out, already knowing what was waiting for her outside.

"Miss Heartfilia, the class is over. It is now time to leave my dear." He told her coldly.

Lucy stood up, pushed her chair, grabbed her bags and quit the class, tears rolling down her cheeks. Sting was waiting for her in the corner, pain readable in his face, but also pure anger.

"So now you betray me for that loser huh?" he started.

Lucy didn't have the strength left to fight back. So, he let it all out on her and she didn't do a single thing to defend herself. He didn't touch her, no, but his words were like knives that were stabbing every inches of her body as the seconds passed. The pain was horrible and yet she couldn't understand that this is what she did to Natsu every day of his miserable life since his arrival at this school.

"We never kissed! You always wanted to wait, pretending you weren't ready to do it. You wanted your first kiss to be perfect and I waited, because I was madly in love with you! I loved you Lucy! And guess what! Not long ago you brought up the courage to fuck the guy you bullied and hated all of your life while I'm standing here like an idiot waiting for you to prove me your requited love. How do you think I feel right now you slut? Huh? Oh right! You can't understand because you never loved somebody… or did you fell for that guy but was so ashamed he was uncool that you pretend to love me? Right I am huh! Well guess what you little whore! We are fucking through! And don't even bother to talk to me again or all beat the shit out of you. And I won't go easy on you! I promise to bully you every single day to make you understand the hatred I feel towards you. And by the way, you can't use the 'my father is the principal' excuse because he doesn't give a shit about you. All he cares about is work, work and work. He might not even wanted you to be born. You are probably a burden for him." He screamed at her.

"That's all I have for today, but I promise I'll have something new for you tomorrow that will hurt you really badly." He threatened her as he left.

"I didn't sleep with him" she sobbed.

 _But on the other hand, I never really love him either. He was just an object I used for my own popularity purposes. I wanted to prove that I didn't need to relay on my father to get what I want. I wanted everybody to see who I really was… But I ended up betraying my own self by acting as the way I thought people wanted me to be. I probably deserve this… After all the things I did… And Natsu… THIS IS YOUR ENTIRE FAULT! Now I am left with nothing. I'll be treated like shit, exactly like you since you've came here… How could you do this to me!_

Lucy cried even harder, trying to find excuses to the faith she was now stuck with. Even though she wouldn't admit it, she deserved it and she understood Natsu perfectly now. How come he had survived all of this? She had said such horrible things to him and still he was standing up and smiling, feigning he didn't care what other thought in the end as, like he said he now had a weapon to fight back. But still, he was mentally strong for standing up against all of them bullying him every day.

And, she admired him for that.


	5. Chapter 5

She was sitting on the sidewalk, all by herself. Tears were pouring down her face as her hair glued to her face was hiding the black circles lying underneath her eyes. As she was choking on her sobs, not able to stop, as every little detail of her life that she hated were making their way through her mind, she pushed aside some of her messy and maybe unclean hair behind her ears, messing up her always perfect haircut. There was a huge hand mark that looked carved in her cheek, reddening as the seconds passed. Remembering the male who had given it to her, she shivered with fear and anger.

 **-X-**

After all the commotion she and Sting had made over their breakup, she was immediately sent to the principal's office, her father's. Alone with him, sitting on an uncomfortable blue plastic chair, she looked him in the eye knowing she wouldn't get out of this one easily. Sting had went right before her, avoiding eye contact as he had entered and walked out seconds later a mean smile making its way on his face as he had disappeared in the staircase close by.

Lucy looked down at her hands, trying to hide her pain even though it was already flagrant she had cried. Her puffy eyes were barely able to discern details in the room. Her vision was blurry due to the constant tears strolling down her cheeks, unending. She squeezed her hands to the point where her knuckles were whitening.

"Lucy Heartfilia…" He started

"Dad, drop the formal tone please." She asked politely

"I am the principal of this school. I do as I please. Now, I have heard some interesting facts concerning you young lady. Things that make me question what you do in your free time." He answered on a neutral cold tone.

She started blushing, the heat creeping to her cheeks.

"Sting lied to you. He told you complete bullshit." She practically yelled under the influence of intense stress.

"You dare curse in front of your father? Have I not told you countless times how it is uncivilized for a lady to swear?

"Yes father" she answered half-heartedly.

"Then tell me why did I deserved such a grave offense" He told her his tone slightly rising.

"It just slipped" she said growing small as she knew what was going to come.

"It just slipped? As your panties when you slept with that guy you weren't even going out with? That pink haired freak that you know I hated since the first day I've met him!" he screamed, angered.

"I didn't do anything with him. Sting lied about it." She tried saying as tears fell rapidly down on her cheeks.

"You are calling that person a liar? Are you telling me that the guy I chose you should go out with is a liar? That therefore I am stupid for not seeing he wasn't honest?" He continued.

"You are not stupid father, simply, that guy cannot be trusted" she explained.

"And why should I trust you? You didn't even tell me where you were last week. That night when you came home flustered and mad, that night when you had decided to go out with these horrible friends of yours. What am I supposed to think? That you went and played bowling with them? Or Uno cards at some boy's place alone with him? Do you think I am that foolish?" He started back furious.

"We just… never mind." She quieted.

She wasn't going to tell him that she went to a bar, when she still was underage and got practically raped but fortunately was saved by the boy he hated the most.

"You little whore! How dare you hide things from me" He hollered as his hand slapping her across the face.

At that moment, she didn't know what shocked her the most. The impact of that slap against her skin feeling like he had set it on fire or the poisonous venom she felt in his words as he treated her of whore. Having enough, she pushed away from the desk, the cheap chair falling with an audible _tunk!_ to the floor and escaped this place as his father kept roaring insults at her. Words that she tried blocking by covering her ears as she passed the door, but that still pierced her very soul.

And there she was. Alone and hurt both mentally and physically.

"Hey…Hum are you okay?" asked a male voice.

Lucy looked up to a mass of messy pink bangs that were hiding her from the sun. She sighed in desperation.

"Do I look okay to you?" She responded gruffly, not even hiding her hatred toward him.

"Chill out! I was going to tell you I was sorry, but it seems you are not in the mood to hear it!" He simply said and started slowly striding away.

"Sorry? Sorry for what? For Sting dumping me in front of everybody? For making people think we had sexual intercourse yesterday? For my dad slapping me in the face and calling me a whore? For saving me? Or for your simple existence? There are just so much things you should be sorry for!" She answered

"Oh! Would you have preferred for me to stand there and do nothing? Maybe being raped would have arranged everything. Have you thought that maybe you would have gotten pregnant? That maybe that relationship with Sting was already doomed? Just by the confidence he has in you and your feelings, it isn't difficult to see there was clearly a lack of love in your relationship. But then again, who am I to judge right? I am only that weird pink haired guy who says bullshit all the time and a total loser than can't even be thanked for saving your virginity. But that's okay. That YouTube channel I just created, well guess what! It is plenty popular! Already thousands of subscribers! All that is left to do is put some more great content that can be shared worldwide, right? After all, I would be perceived as the grand hero and you as that pretentious girl who cannot even thank properly his savior.

"Are you finished yet? I mean this is getting really boring" she said, as her tears dried.

"You are the ugliest person I have ever met."

"I beg your pardon? But have you looked at yourself?"

"On the outside, you might look just fine, but your personality sucks so bad that it transforms you into a monster, and one of the worst species."

"Well thank you! That's all I needed for today. Really! Hitting a woman when she is already down what a nice man you are!"

"At least, now you have a taste of what you made me endure all of these years." He said with a cold and small smile.

"Fuck you Natsu! You should just die!" she said, storming off.

"I still have that video you know!"

Lucy turned back and answered: "Go ahead! My life is already ruined! Nothing could be worse than this!

"You miss that boyfriend of yours that dumped you? How sad! If I were you, I would definitely kill myself over such a HUGE loss" he said emphasizing on the word huge to express his sarcasm.

"You don't know me! So, how could you judge?" she replied cries of pain in her voice.

Shocked by such a reaction, Natsu felt a bit of remorse for pulling the strings too far.

"I'm sorry. I didn't think you really loved him" He said laughing awkwardly.

"I don't give a shit about this fucking scumbag! He can fuck a pig for all I care!" she answered

"You are just mad because he dumped you, not the other way around" he quickly answered.

"As if! My father told me that he should be the one to date and literally forced me to go out with him or else he wouldn't look me in the eye. He wouldn't want me to spend time with anybody that was a lesser person in society. But mostly, he wanted to keep me away from idiots of your style that won't do anything good in life." She responded with a snarl.

"Your dad is a madman! Plus! I am far from stupid since I've got better grades than yours at school. Maybe he wanted you to find somebody intelligent to hide your dumbness away." He responded right back.

"Wait for him to hear this! You are…"

"What? Going to be expelled? Now that you are not with precious douchebag, he will not look you in the eye and probably not even listen to your bullshit. I bet he doesn't even believe your lies."

"How dare you!"

"I am just spilling the truth, whether you like it or not."

And since he thought the conversation was getting pretty much interesting, he drew out silently and carefully his phone starting to record.

"Well then why don't you tell everybody that the red mark carved in my cheek is the result of my father slapping me in the face while I was trying to convince him I hadn't slept with you last night? Why don't you tell everybody that he beats me up pretty much each and every day when he sees that you do have better grades than me? Why don't you tell everybody that when he sees that an idiot like you is smarter than me he punches me literally in the face and that it is the reason why I put on so much make up? Why don't you tell them how I tried so many suicidal attempts just to get rid of this awful life? Why don't you tell everybody that I never liked Sting at all, that, since my entrance in this school, all I have been doing is pretending? Pretending to be happy, to love that horrible jock that only wanted to fuck me and was waiting for the right moment to tell everybody he had stolen my virginity and finally get rid of me as some object? Huh? Why shouldn't you make my life even worse Natsu Dragneel? You could end it all! My life, my fake happiness…" she said and realizing she had already said too much, she sprinted away, tears crawling all over her faces, drowning her eyes in a lake of salty water.

 **-X-**

Walking home after going yet again to the arcades, Natsu kept on thinking about the horrible things Lucy had revealed him. He had gone there in hope to erase these awful memories, but it seems they stuck to his mind and would for a long while. He felt the need to help her. To get her out of the horrible conditions, because even though she had put him through so much, he realized that she might have only done this because she was afraid of her father's reaction. As if, every move she made, every breath she took was registered by her father, criticized in every way possible. Maybe, maybe she was a nice person inside. Maybe nobody had ever seen through her and met the real Lucy Heartfilia. Somehow, she had planted a growing interest in her in his brain. He kept the revelations in his phone safely thinking someday they might be useful and marched rapidly craving his bed badly.

Tomorrow, he would be nicer to her. Because deep down, he knew he was a good guy. But, if she ever happened to be just like Lisanna, than, he wouldn't feel in any way guilty posting an embarrassing video of her on the web. He would probably choose the sequence when she begs him to save her, but then again, maybe by knowing her better he could find some other nice content to blackmail her, but for, now, he would concentrate on helping her.

It was on this thought that he slid under the covers that night and fell asleep.

 **-X-**

The next day, Lucy wasn't present at school.

Neither the other day.


	6. Chapter 6

**Hello! I was really inspired so here! Two chapters in a row! I hope I can keep up with this story, because my dearest wish would be to end it up before the end of summer. It seems far away, but I know it will coma faster than I think. So anyway, enjoy and please review!**

* * *

Lucy was curled in a ball in the bathroom. She wouldn't quit that place since, for the past two days, it had felt like the safest place on Earth. Today was Friday which meant the week-end was close by and therefore she would report yet again her coming back to school. She had tried to return, but found herself unable of doing it, the memory of people looking at her completely disgusted, as their faces would contort into wicked smiles as they would kick her even though she already was on the floor. She thought about the hand of her father turning into a fist punching her in the gut. She saw her crumpled face looking down on the floor as tears flooded down her faces and the air left her lungs. She saw herself grasping desperately for a lump of oxygen as he, the cruel man didn't even dare a glance in her direction preoccupied by his work.

All of this made her want to vomit, which she did, a whole lot of times, during these two days that seemed unending. After, she would grab the nearest ice cream pot and eat it all even though her head hurt from brain freeze, even though the sweet taste was slowly making her feel even more sick, even though she knew she would give it all back in a short while. Her tangled and unwashed hair clung to her face that was covered in ice cream and fresh tears. Finishing yet another bowl of strawberry ice cream, she reached for her wet pillow and hugged it tightly against her chest. The broken pieces of her heart would take time to heal, but she knew deep down that it would need help, help from a human being that would be kind enough to give her time and gentleness.

 _But who?_

She pictured all of her friends at school, and strangely none of them came to her mind. She felt as if they would pick that opportunity to gain even more popularity. Her seat now available, it would be a bloody battle over who would replace her. She had praised the powers of her father, but everybody had doubted for a long time the veracity of what she was actually saying. Plus, judging by the recent rumors that had destroyed her, people would surely think t he would keep quiet, ashamed of having such a disgusting daughter.

On these negative thoughts, she laid down on the cold bathroom floor, seeping in the foul other of turned milk and managed to find sleep, her body so tense and tired that he didn't even put an ounce of resistance against that simple desire.

Lucy woke up at the end of the afternoon. She dared a look at the mirror and practically fell unconscious at the pale and filthy face that appeared in it. That monstrous view was enough to convince her to take a bath. After a long thirty minutes of deep washing, she felt a little bit lighter, the water's change of color proof she had certainly left something behind. As she pressed a soft towel against her naked body, she took the time to dry her hair and dress with some clothes she had brought in her little shelter. Finally clean, she glanced again in the reflecting glass. Her face was still pale and even though the filth had left, little scars still covered some places of her face along with some bruises. As she looked at each and every one of them, she remembered the painful memories that came along with it. That time she had escaped the house to go to a friend's party; her father had pushed her violently resulting in her cutting herself in the eyebrow. Nothing too deep, but still, she still bore a little white line up above her left eye where no hair would ever grow again.

In total, she might have ten little injuries like those, but that was counting only her face.

Her eyes were still puffy from the crying, but she still decided not to hide being make-up. Anyway, everything was over. People now hated her and her life was screwed. She looked at her too pale skin and decided to take a short walk outside to breath in fresh air. She waited for any sounds to come from the other side of the door wishing desperately her father wouldn't be home yet. He hadn't talked to her and had concentrated all of his attention only on his school work. She could disappear for all he cared. He would probably not even notice.

The path clear, she quickly opened the door, ran to her bedroom, grabbed her wallet always full of money and left the house. As she walked, she felt the absence of makeup upon her face. Being bare faced made her feel as if she was naked and made her slightly uncomfortable. But then again, who would notice?

 _Nobody_

So she kept on advancing on the side-walk until the grumbling of her stomach made her stop to the nearest fast food. It was the beginning of summer, but the temperature was still cold enough for her to wear a hoodie. Therefore, she found truly useful the cap resting against her back when she pulled it up her head hiding most of her injuries to the rest of the world. She quickly ordered fried chicken and sat to a two seat table on her own. Then again, it felt weird not to have a friend to talk to. She was so accustomed of people pushing themselves savagely to be at her side that she never figured someday she might be all alone. She had never thought she could be replaced so easily.

As she ate her felling of solitude away with the warm fried chicken warming her insides, she stood up and asked for a cup of coffee. The cashier at first looked unsure but still asked one of his comrades to prepare her coffee. As she waited at the counter for her second order, a pink haired guy came across and handed her her French vanilla coffee a wide grin plastered on his face. She quickly looked at her watch and realized classes had ended about two hours ago. Could that guy be…

"Natsu Dragneel "she said as the smile on his face vanished.

She quickly and brutally grabbed the coffee and quit the restaurant as soon as she could not even bothering to finish her meal that still lay at her table.

"Can I take my pause now? This is an urgent matter" he explained to one of his colleagues.

"I guess I can cover up for you. Didn't know you had a girlfriend. Good luck bro! She looks really pissed" The other answered.

Worried, Natsu didn't even take the time to answer his comrade.

He quickly sprinted outside and looked in all direction trying to find her. His heart was beating so fast and sweat dripped from his chin in little droplets.

As he finally spotted her walking away on Cherry Blossom Street, he ran as fast as he could and catch up to her. As he touched her shoulder gently, she turned around and slapped it away swiftly as she showed him her back.

He felt so relieved. After all the mean things he had told her, he felt really guilty, but what had horrified him the most surely was her absence for three days now consecutives. He thought she might have ended her life on the first one. Rumors had already started to circulate in the hallways about her cutting her wrists open in a bathtub. People said that without even seeming worried about it, as if it was normal. He on the other hand had wanted to punch himself in the face. She had lived through hell pretty much all of her life and to this, he had added up insults because he was furious at her and, hot tempered as he was, he hadn't thought of the meaning of the words he was about to throw at her before yelling them at her. He wanted to apologize so badly.

So when she feigned she was ignoring him, he rose his voice making sure she would understand what he was about to say.

"I am sorry. Look, I didn't know you had such a rough life and I regret ever insult I have ever thrown at you. I was so angered from what you put me through that I never thought that there might be a meaning behind all of that free cruelty. I am sorry for being such a dick about this. I didn't truly know you and now I realized how what you said about yourself wasn't full of lies. I was so accustomed of you pulling up horrendous rumors about other people that I had forgotten that maybe you did that to feel better. To get something you never had at home, attention. I understand how hard it can be, I mean I have lost both of my parents, so when I come back home each and every day, there is nobody to greet me. I am all on my own all the time s, for that I can relate, and if you want, I can listen."

"Go fuck yourself."

Thinking she might hurt herself, and seeing she was slowly getting away from his grip, he gripped her free arm and made her turn around so that he could have a clear look at her. Her cap hiding her physical traits, he quickly pulled it up and restrains himself from swearing. He looked at all the bruises covering her face accompanied by fresh little cuts that were still healing soon enough transforming into another set of new scars she could add to her collection.

He had never seen her without makeup and truly understood the meaning of such blush and lipstick and foundation. His heart hurt at her sight and anger towards his father made a fire roar inside his gut. How could somebody beat his own daughter to that point?

She wasn't moving, shocked by what she knew he was now seeing. She wanted to pull away, but was unable to do it. She was rooted to the spot and somehow felt relieved that somebody now knew what she was going through. Even though it was one of her least favorite person on Earth, she remembered that he still had saved her and had been mean to her due to an accumulation of provocation orchestrated by her. Therefore, he might not be as bad a person as she thought he was.

"Did your father do this to you as well?" he inquired serious.

"Yeah" she mumbled tears appearing at the corner of her eyes.

"You can't keep on enduring this. You should call the cops. He should go to jail for that."

"I can't. He is the only family I have left. My mother died years ago. If he leaves then, I will be all by myself."

"This dude isn't family! He literally hurts you. You should find somebody that can take care of you for a while until you can get yourself a nice place to live."

"Who? Remember that now I am a loser, just like you!" she said.

And with that, she started crying.

"Hey! Don't cry okay! I don't like it when people cry!"

"All I wanted was to fall in love with the right guy! The one that would take me away from my father, somebody that would listen to me! Somebody that would care for me and be there when I need him…"

And with that, he took her softly in his arms and gave her a warm hug.

"What-What are you do-doing!" she exclaimed.

"Look, when people are sad, they need comfort, right? The most comforting things on Earth are a hug and to let it all out."

"I promise that I won't talk about this to anybody okay! Promise!" he added

"Is your cellphone on record right now?" she asked suspicious, the hug still helping her feeling better.

"Nan, I didn't felt like teasing you today. You don't need that right now."

"How am I supposed to trust you?" she said still not believing him.

"I don't. You can search me if you want" he answered wiggling his eyebrows, an attempt to make her laugh.

"Don't remind me about the stupid rumors that resulted in all of this." She answered and cried a bit more.

"Sorry! Look I just wanted to make you laugh okay? I will definitely not pursue a career in humor… Didn't mean to push any buttons or bring back any bad memories! I swear on my pinkie!" he exclaimed panicking as he held her a bit tighter.

"You mean you would go bald if you were to lie to me?" She said a small smile rising to her lips

Encouraged by that slight demonstration of slight happiness, he decided to dramatize a bit.

"Look, my hair is the most precious think I own, so not this own, but if it's hair you want, I can shave my legs and give all of this hair to you. I am sure that in the end you would be able to make a wig out of them."

"You are disgusting" And with that she laughed a bit.

He didn't mind her comment since there was something in her tone that had somehow changed. It looked more playful, more joyous.

"Feeling a bit better?" he asked

"Yeah, thanks"

She would tell him, but the warmth of his body comforted her even more. It was slowly making that cold taking over her whole body vanish. It was practically magical.

He looked her in the eye and let go of her to reach in his pocket and offer her a tissue. She blew her nose noisily and he wipe one her tears away with his thumb.

As they pulled away from their tight embrace, he murmured: "If you need somebody to listen, I will be there. Okay?"

"Okay" she answered.

And with that he left and went back to his work.

She still felt his warmth all over her body as if he had left a gentle caress that pushed away her goosebumps of fear and pain. She could still picture the place where he had wiped away her tear, it was as if he had left a magical mark right there and she was sure that at the moment that place was burning red, but not of pain, more like some sort of blushing.

She walked back to her house, her now cold coffee resting in her hand as she felt yet again cold. She practically craved another hug from that guy because somehow, she had felt warm in those strong arms, she had felt home, but most of all, she had felt safe and cared for.

This simple sweet and soft action that he did on his own free somehow spread hope in her mind.

It made her believe.

It made her believe that his words were true.

That is she ever needed him, he would be there.

Always.


	7. Chapter 7

She would go to school tomorrow.

She had to.

It was time to change. To be herself.

It was time to bring back the real Lucy Heartfilia, the one she had hid for so many years, too afraid to make a move, to contest the authority of her father. This time, she wouldn't let him touch her, hurt her, insult her.

This time, she would fight for what she loved until the end. She wouldn't sob in a dark corner like a coward. She wouldn't try to make him happy by dating some random boring dude she wasn't interested in the least.

It was time to be the real Lucy Heartfilia.

The one that didn't like to show off skin, and dress in slutty clothes.

The one, that hated to go to stupid frat parties.

The one that loved to play video games since she was born.

The one that couldn't be beaten at any.

The Lucy Heartfilia that loved romantic movies and wrote stories.

The Lucy Heartfilia that dreamed of her prince charming…

Not some douchebag standing on its horse, not someone she barely knew, not some stupid jock that only was interested in sex, not some knight in shining armor writing her longs poems she would later on find out were just taken out of the internet.

No.

A real prince charming. A gamer, with a wide smile and gentle manners. Somebody that, with a simple touch would make her fuzzy and warm inside. Someone who would love her for who she really is, that would take all of the broken pieces of her heart and reassemble them into a whole. Somebody who's smile would be so big it would practically take his whole face in length…

Determined and inhabited with a new train of thoughts, Lucy did the first thing that came to her mind.

 **-X-**

It had probably been a decade since she had set foot in the old looking arcade, but she still remembered the pleasant memories she had of this place. When she was just a toddler, she would enter with her mom and they would challenge each other at various games. Lucy always won, even though later on she would find out her mom was giving her chances…

Her mom. She had been the queen, the master of the peculiar arcade. Her pseudonym was written all over the place. She was unbeatable.

That was until she passed away, in a car accident ten years ago.

Since then, new games had appeared, new people had scored higher than her and soon, she had disappeared. Erased and forgotten, as if she had never existed.

That's when her father, heartbroken had slowly changed into the monster he was now and had set his mind into transforming his daughter into the perfect future wife he would marry to some rich family.

But that was the past, meant to stay behind. She had to move forward.

Slowly coming back to her senses, Lucy went to the first game she recognized. It was centipede. As she looked closer to the scoreboard appearing on the screen, she noticed a certain "Igneel" in the first position. Beside it, she had to admit, the amount of points he had earn were certainly quite impressive. Even though she was a little bit wired, she knew that with a little practice, she'd be able to beat it.

And with that challenge in mind, she pressed the start button.

Lucy played the whole evening and stopped when, finally, her name was on the top of the list. It had taken her more attempts than she had thought, but still, she had accomplished her goal! The centipede scoreboard bore the word _Bloomsbury_ in big shining letters beside the first-place sign.

Content with herself, she left the boutique without noticing the owner smiling weirdly in her direction.

 **-X-**

The last customer surely was picky, but Natsu had finally convinced him into choosing what to order. His work shift finished, he grabbed a hamburger quickly already marching his way directly to the arcade. Gulping it down in two bites, he quickly entered the boutique, greeting Gildarts as always with a quick wave of his hand.

This time, he must admit, the look on his face was creeping him out a bit. It was a mix of a smirk and a perverse gesture contorting his facial traits. In brief, he couldn't identify what the heck the guy was trying to express with such a weird facial expression. But, before he could say a single thing, Gildarts blurted out in one single rapid line: There's this girl that left about fifteen minutes ago. A hot chick and guess what? She beat your score at centipede in less than three hours. It took you two days to get to that gigantic amount of points! She truly is gifted!

Surprised, Natsu went to the said machine and observed with his own eyes his pseudonym appearing in second place. Competition and ego rose into his heart as he couldn't let somebody beat him at a game.

"It will take me only a few minutes to gain back my position" Natsu assured Gildarts confidently as he sat in front of the giant screen and started playing.

 **-X-**

Natsu, we are closing! , Gildarts said.

"Oh c'mon, give me five more minutes, I am sure that this time I will beat it!"

"You said that a hundred times before. Just face it. You can't beat this new video game prodigy!"

"Yes, I can! I just didn't play my best today. I'll come back tomorrow and you will see! This time my name will come back to its rightful place! Natsu exclaimed.

"Sure thing! See ya tomorrow!" Gildarts responded right back.

"Bloomsbury huh! Prepare to become second place!" Natsu said, as sparkles started illuminating his eyes as he considered a new challenger.

And a strong one at that.


	8. Chapter 8

**Hi! I know it has been a long time since I last updated this fanfic, but here I am again with a brand new chapter. I hope you'll enjoy this! Don't forget to leave a review! Sorry again!**

Silence fell upon the hall.

Lucy walked, her head high, not bothering to answer the questioning glare people threw at her. Her blonde ponytail sway in unison with her hips carefully hidden under a tall and large hoodie. She concentrated on the path ahead trying not to break down into tears under the pressure people pressed upon her. As she finally saw the open door to her English class, she exhaled the stress away and entered.

She sat in the nearest chair ignoring yet again people staring at her and giggling, clearly laughing at her. She tried to shrug it off as she slouched down in a comfortable position, pushing back the oversized sleeves of her way too large hoodie.

She couldn't say it was the prettiest piece of clothing she ever wore, but somehow, the fact that it enveloped her with reassuring warmth gave her a feeling of protection, as if people couldn't enter her shell.

Funny how everything had changed in such a short amount of time. Not so long ago, everybody pushed themselves to talk to her, trying to be in her graces because of her deathly reputation. It seems she wasn't the only one afraid of her father. Some students had served as examples, each of them expelled for minor reasons…

But how had that changed so quickly?

Probably those rumors of her having sex with Natsu Dragneel combined to the rather cheerful face Sting wore when he exited her father's office after their meeting…

She wasn't a threat to any of the students anymore as they could blackmail her in any way possible.

The only people unaware were probably the teachers and it was better that way.

But it hadn't always been that way. She remembered, when her family hadn't crumbled to pieces with the death of her mother, what paradise used to feel.

But…

Even then she was living in a pretty lie.

She never wondered why people always pushed themselves around to play with her and be friends. She never wondered how it came that she always had perfect scores even in the subjects she sucked hard at…

Until one day, tired of the doubt slowly haunting her mind she decided to see for herself if all of this was truly real…

-X-

That day, barely thirteen, she entered her best friend's party…. Empty handed. Dozens of kids had been invited all carrying gifts varying in the range of price they could afford. But she decided that this time she wouldn't give her the next iPhone or whatever expansive object she clearly didn't need.

The festivities went well. They had engaged a DJ and teenagers were dancing all around to the music… At least it felt like it until she noticed how people were practically crushing her in their attempt to be close to her.

She noticed her friend alone in a corner dancing sadly on her own.

And she felt bad about it.

It wasn't her fault she attracted so much attention.

But feeling it was unfair on her birthday for her best friend to stay there in the shadows while she was yet again in the spotlight, she pushed through the crowd and went by her side.

Like dogs, everybody followed her and watched each and every move she made.

Lucy feeling uncomfortable at all that attention she didn't really enjoyed, looked her friend in the eye and shouted at the top of her lungs: Let's open the gifts!

A quick diversion… Accelerating the course of her plan….

People looked sideways, parted, ran and came back as quick as they could to make sure they didn't miss a movement Lucy made. Standing beside her friend, she felt at least like she had herself too a bit of the attention she clearly deserved more than her.

"Let's all listen to Cana!" she said feigning a smile.

Why was everybody drinking all the words she said? If she was mean to them, would they stop being so addicted to her?

"Thanks Lu-Lu" she answered feeling grateful for a moment.

"Who wants to start first?" she quickly added.

Lucy hated herself for it, but she had to make sure everybody wasn't pretending just because of the influence of her parents.

Because of her money…

They all placed themselves in line, each grabbing their packages with sweaty hands.

Everybody was nervous knowing they couldn't beat Lucy concerning the value of the gift. Therefore, the next minutes would be painful if her best friend didn't enjoy what they had bought her…

Slowly, the line shortened until there was only five people who still hadn't given their gift.

Lucy would always remember the poor girl's face.

"You bought me a ham sandwich? How lame! Who would want of it anyway?" Cana said throwing it to the floor tears of rage rushing down her face.

"I am sorry Cana…" the little girl said as she gripped her stomach and cried silently.

Lucy knew that girl… She was living in a house so filthy and old it looked more of a dumpster than anything else. Her parent barely had money to buy their children food…

Judging by the gift, Lucy guessed it probably was her lunch… The only food the girl would eat in the whole day… Her sole meal and she still decided to give it to this spoiled child even though her stomach was grumbling while she was waiting in line…

Even though she was so thin her cheeks caved in….

That girl, she remembered, never had asked her to be friends… Never had dropped so low as to beg her for money or gifts…

She could have had… After all, all these children were wealthy enough to have three meals per day and even toys for Christmas… Lucy was ready to bet her whole house the girl maybe got an orange for Christmas and still was the happiest girl in the world in that brief moment…

While she on the other hand was sitting at the grand table surrounded by gifts.

Alone.

Wasting the food she didn't need while the poor was struggling to pay for even a bite.

And all this time… She walked in the halls showing off her new clothes, eating expensive exotic food while that girl was probably just looking at her… Her lunch box empty.

What a horrible person she was…

She wanted to scream and go straight home, emptying her whole fridge and give it all to her and her family….

Maybe she should do that…

No, she would do that.

"Lu-Lu! Where is my gift?" said Cana with an overjoyed face…

Lucy finally coming back to her senses wanted to punch her so bad in the face.

Her always pristine face slowly contorted in a rictus of rage…

In that precise moment, she didn't care if what she was about to tell her best friend broke her heart…

Or should she even call her a friend?

Or all of the others that all stared at her with curious stares and expectations of what she would give her…

"What? My presence isn't enough?" she answered smugly.

Cana started to laugh, a forced laugh.

"You are so funny Lu-Lu, but seriously, where's my new laptop?" she said getting serious.

"I am afraid I haven't bought you anything" she answered and quickly added: Anyway, it's not like you deserve something.

"It's not funny Lu-Lu. I have been really kind to you all of the year so I believe I do deserve this laptop. And I need it now." She answered with forced softness

"So that's how it is huh? Just because you are nice to me you expect me to buy you a laptop? Are you only my friend because I buy you all of these things? Is our friendship only based off of the objects I will buy you in the future depending on your behavior?"

"Well yeah!" She said and smiled.

Smiled.

Lucy couldn't speak. So that's how it was… She glanced at the other teenagers surrounding her.

"Please Lucy, if I tell you that we really appreciate your friendship and that it is not based off my gain of expensive products, will you give me the new IPhone on my birthday next week?" One guy said.

"Yes, will you?" One after the other, the other guests asked the question as if it depended on their lives.

All, but the poor girl sobbing in a corner, her filthy blue curls hiding her wet face. Her sandwich had remained to the ground, a complete mess.

A total waste.

Lucy restrained her tears. She went to the little girl crouched in a corner. She gently took her hand and helped her up.

The girl stared at her with bright blue eyes swollen red. She held her stomach still loudly grumbling as she stood.

Trying to hide the pain.

"You are disgusting"

Hurt flashed in the poor little girl's eyes until everybody noticed how Lucy wasn't staring at her but them.

"This girl, even if she had nothing, decided to give you her most precious belonging, the only food she might have had in days… You threw it away as if it were nothing, as if it was just thrash, while she might have enjoyed it…. Do you hear this?" She said and paused for everybody to hear her grumbling stomach.

"This is a girl who is hungry! Not some spoiled kid crying over the fact that he didn't get the new video game out. This is a girl who probably has nothing, but still never begged me to give her anything. She never complained over her situation, never whined about how she was hungry. And all this time you guys… People who can get whatever food they want, not missing on anything vital, were crushing me and trying to be my friend only to benefit of my parents' money?! You are the filth! You are the insults you told her! I heard you call her filthy, disgusting, smelly… But you know what? You guys are the filthy ones trying to befriend somebody to your own gain. You are disgusting! Tossing away gifts that are meaningless maybe to you but maybe everything to somebody else. You are even smelly! Smelly in a way that disgusts me the most! You smell of the rich and the egocentric, a smell even worse than poop! A smell she has to support every FUCKING day as she sits beside you in class!" she yelled.

People winced at the swear word but kept still in total shock.

"And I know that I am no better than you for not reacting to such cruelty, but my eyes are now open! And I will not let such injustice go on!" she added and went to the door.

"We won't intimidate her we promise! But will you give us money if we do?" asked another one.

"Go to hell" Lucy screamed and stormed off, the little girl obligated to follow her suit.

As the cold air rushed in her face, Lucy started to cry, the truth finally punching her like a fist in the gut.

These people didn't appreciate her. They were in only for the money…

And all this time she thought… She really thought she was interesting….

"Why are you crying?" said the blue haired girl.

"It's nothing" Lucy answered and wiped the tears away.

"I am here to listen you know, I mean if you want to talk about it…"

Such gentleness, could that be true? Or was it just a game set by her parents with their immense fortune….

"Why would you bother to do that?" Lucy asked, defensive.

"Well, you stood up for me, like nobody else ever did" she answered, real gratitude flashing in her eyes.

At that moment, Lucy knew she had to do something, because this girl, that hadn't anything material to give might have the only thing she truly wanted… A real friendship, somebody to talk and listen to… somebody who would play with her, not expecting a gift in return…

"What is your name?" Lucy asked softly a smile slowly growing in her face

"Juvia" she answered.

"Well Juvia, do you think you and I could… maybe…be friends?" Lucy asked.

The little girl's eyes went wide. She looked at the ground for a few seconds the red creeping to her neck and cheeks.

"Won't you be ashamed of being friends with a filthy girl like me?" Juvia inquired.

"Never in a thousand years" Lucy answered and to prove her point hugged her tightly even though the girl probably hadn't taken a bath in weeks.

"Then, I would like to be your friend under one condition…" Juvia said hugging her back and sniffing.

"What is it?" Lucy said, anxious.

 _Will she ask me for money? In a way she needs it…But still…_

"I want you to be your real self with me" she said and grinned.

"Because, I know that deep down you are a good person" she added.

"I promise" Lucy said.

The intimate moment broke when they heard yet again her stomach grumble in hunger.

"Would you like to make a quick stop at my house? I'm sure we could find something nice to eat! Maybe a nice bath could be useful too!" Lucy said and brought her to her parent's mansion.

-X-

Juvia…

Since that encounter, they had been best friends…

Real friends.

Until…

-X-

Until her father found out she gave the contents of their fridge to her family. Until he found out what a scrawny little girl his princess hung out with.

Until he understood he wasn't at home enough to notice when these encounter and donations happened.

He didn't like seeing her come back home with her hands dirty, her knees full of scratches and her damp hair a complete mess. He didn't like knowing she played sports instead of assisting her modeling classes.

That's why one day, he decided he had to put a stop to this.

He spotted the two girls playing soccer on an abandoned field giggling like idiots as the scrawny siblings joined them. He noticed their scrawny little hands pushing her in a way he found disrespectful. He glared as she lunged for the ground kicking the ball away in the other team's net. The bruises and the dirt that appeared on her knees…

His anger took over.

"What is my little princess doing with such disgusting little creatures" Jude said not bothering to take of his gloves off his hands, disdain readable on his face as he didn't even dare touch his daughter as if afraid he would catch a disease.

Everything went suddenly quiet and still. The kids other than Lucy had stopped playing, their grins vanishing.

"I don't see what you're talking about father. I am just playing with friends here…"

He hadn't let her finish and dragged her back home where he had forced her to take a two hours shower just to make sure all the germs that had touched her body were gone.

Then, that big argument had happened. She had tried to convince him that Juvia wasn't a bad lad and reacted badly at the way he qualified her. The word thief was certainly unjustified, since he blue haired girl had refused at first the food Lucy had given her, assuring her that she was fine, even through intense gurgling of her stomach.

Seeing Lucy wasn't going to change her mind about the matter, she had abandoned and accepted the food.

It had been months since this relationship had started. Months since Juvia and her family ate three meals a day…

Some changes had started to appear. Her cheeks and torso weren't so caved in… Her face wasn't so tired and she wasn't as fragile as before.

There was still work to do, but the family was slowly regaining health…

"I will do what is necessary for them to keep on having proper meals" Lucy screamed desperate as tears streamed down her cheeks.

"Anything?" her father had finally answered.

"Anything."

He had promised he would give them everything necessary for them to be healthy in exchange for her to go back to her normal life. Meaning she would never talk to her ever again.

She had been reluctant at first, already missing the moments she passed with that dearest friend, but she wasn't ready to put her health in danger for her sole happiness.

And so, she agreed.

-X-

"Miss Heartfilia, could you please tell me what the answer to number five is?" the English teacher told her as she came back to her senses with a feeling of longing.

"I am afraid I don't even fuckin' care about your class" Lucy responded to everybody's bewilderment.

"Could you repeat that please" The teacher said trying to hide a twinge of anger from his voice.

"What do you care of what I have to say? You'll still get that big check from my father at the end of the day. So just leave me be" She answered.

The teacher stared at her flabbergasted.

Regaining composure after a good minute of gawking without blinking, the teacher didn't utter a word in her direction for the rest of the class. Neither did any student.

-X-

Lucy went to the arcade that day in need of a break from all the drama. She went to the first machine that came to her and played her heart and soul out until she beat yet again the "Igneel" king.

Feeling better after pouring her rage into the game, Lucy left and went straight home not bothering to look at the owner still glaring her way with a wide smile.

-X-

Natsu ran to the arcade, the exchange between Lucy and the English teacher still fresh in his memory. She had dared to back talk that ugly witch! She had dared send her to hell and humiliate her publicly without any consequences.

Was is father that powerful?

Pushing these thoughts away, he looked at Gildarts, fear surging through him as the man sent him a wicked grin.

"She beat you at yet another game." He simply said.

"Which one" Natsu bellowed.

"Donkey Kong"

"No fucking way! This was my most recent high score! This fucking suck! She is not going to beat me twice!" He said and ran to the machine.

-X-

"Natsu…" Gildarts said softly.

"I know" He said repressing a cry of rage at yet again another defeat.

And with that he left.

Who was that mysterious player who beat his high scores? Would he slowly become second best?

He hoped not, because damn he loved to play these games and wouldn't be satisfied with the second place.

Never.


	9. Chapter 9

**Hi! I will try to update more often, but for now, I hope you'll enjoy this new chapter. Now I know, the past chapters have been gloomy, but I promise the fluff as yet to come! Probably in the next chapter! Plus, Juvia and Cana will come back again in the future chapters… On that I promise! Anyway, thanks again! Your amazing reviews make my day! Already more than forty followers for that story! More than I expected! I am truly grateful for that! So thanks again and enjoy!**

Natsu stared blankly at his computer screen.

Only one person had decided to subscribe to his, he was ashamed to admit, pitiful channel. His video had barely thirty views…

His plan wouldn't work with only one subscriber… Which wasn't even a real one since Gray was kind of obligated to subscribe to "support" him.

Sighing deeply, he decided to look out the most popular videos on his feed. It all turned around stupidity such as people drinking bleach to others pretending to drill themselves in the head to get more views.

As he scrolled and scrolled getting exasperated the more he saw what people were up to, to get known, he shut down his computer.

Slipping into his bed, he closed his eyes, but couldn't manage to find sleep.

 _What will I do?_

And then it came.

That memory of a little blonde girl accompanied by her mother.

-X-

Natsu was barely a toddler. He remembered each and every detail of the little girl as she giggled and ran in the alleys looking with wide brown orbs at the diverse machines each placed in perfect lines. She had a beautiful smile plastered across her face and puffy pink cheeks that bore fiercely dimples.

He had felt at that moment the heat rising to his cheeks, but had gazed to the ground as his father was glancing his way, a wicked grin showing pointy fangs, just like his.

His little heart had started beating hard and fast in a way that made him fear he might burst.

 _What was that feeling?_

Being just a kid, he hadn't realized back then that it surely was love he felt toward the girl, but then again, the moment had gone so quickly even now he doubted the reality of these emotions.

But back then, he had started to cry out of fear, the warmth creeping up to his whole face making it feel like a wildfire.

Igneel had scooped him up in his arms and asked what was wrong with his little boy. Noticing the flushed face of the boy and the little girl who had stopped running glancing their way, he had understood.

Understood as if he had already lived it before.

As if he were a part of him.

Igneel had murmured reassuring words in his ears promising there was nothing wrong with such a feeling. Telling him the beauty of it.

And Natsu had instantly stopped to cry. His permanent grin had reach back to his face stretching wide as he was dropped back to the floor.

He remembered Igneel looking at the little girl as if in recognition and stalking away to a random machine.

Natsu had obviously followed him. Slowly approaching he had looked at the screen, a gigantic insect taking most of it. Instead of screaming like any other kid would have done, he felt interest growing inside of him.

A desire to play.

His father left him the place. Understanding after many tries how the multiple buttons worked, he started enjoying more and more the virtual world as if transported in a place where he was the hero, the one defeating the mean guy.

Absorbed in the play, his father had slowly reached a nearby bench giving his kid some space as the small blondie was coming closer, interested in the way he pressed the buttons.

He hadn't noticed her at first, but he would always remember how he jumped when a small voice had emerged close behind him.

Natsu had turned around looking at the flustered little girl from earlier, that same feeling roaming inside of him. Though this time, he knew it wasn't dangerous and so he risked a word in her direction, not sure he had caught what she had just said.

"Do you want to play?" he had asked looking straight in her eyes.

She had simply nodded and taken his place at the controllers.

After a few games, her face was all red, contorted with rage as she kept on losing and losing barely making any damages to the monstrous centipede.

Natsu noticing how hard she had struggled, had offered his help, which she had gladly accepted.

He had intertwined fingers with her pressing himself behind her. As the horrendous centipede appeared in the screen, he directed her hands to the right spot.

It probably had been the most romantic thing he had done in his entire life, but yet, his childish innocence had proven to make him act this way.

After a few minutes, they had reached such a high score their avatar stood in third place beside an enigmatic Guigui.

Not putting too much thought in it, Natsu felt pride rise in his chest as the word Igneel, his father's name, stood on the podium. The little girl probably hadn't bothered changing the username after he had left her to play.

He flashed a toothy grin at his partner who smiled back clearly happy with the progress she felt she had made.

"Want to try something else?" he had inquired, not so shy anymore.

"Yeah sure!" she had answered with glee.

He had taken her hand and led her to yet another game he loved to play, Pac Man.

She had difficulty understanding the concept of the game at first, but rapidly caught on, as they used the same method and yet again made it to the podium.

Giving each other a high five, they were already heading to yet another game when a woman barged behind them.

"There is my little princess!" The woman exclaimed with a particular expression on her face.

Even now, he couldn't quite discerned what it consisted in, but at the moment he had felt like it was some sort of hope… But why, that he didn't know.

"I am afraid you'll have to leave your little friend for the rest of the day… We have to head back home before papa comes back." She had added, a thin line appearing at the corner of her mouth twisting it downward.

Why was she looking sad at that mention?

"Okay mama! I guess I will see you soon then!" she had told him and pulled him in a tight hug.

She smelled of vanilla and another sent he couldn't decipher. What he could say though was that he definitely adored them both.

As she had started to pull away, he said louder than he would have wanted: Wait!

"What is it?" she had asked startled.

"What's your name?"

By the look on her face she looked like she felt hesitant, but that shadow passed over her face quickly replaced by that bright smile and light somehow emanating from her.

 _What was it again?_

He couldn't remember what she had answered him and yet, he felt he had it on the tip if his tongue.

Focusing back on the memory, angered at himself for forgetting such an important detail, he remembered her leaving.

But, mostly the feeling of longing.

The feeling of wanting.

Wanting to see her again.

Her friend.

She eventually came back to the arcade and as the years flew by they indeed became close friends.

The only thing different was probably the fact that she was practically able to beat him at every game they compete against. It didn't anger him somehow… But he bet the reason behind it was because it was her and nobody else. He couldn't fight the smile spreading to his lips as she defeated him yet again. The way she twirled around smiling genuinely, her ponytail swaying with her with such grace it took him by surprise every time…

He knew deep down that what he felt when he lay eyes upon her was more than simple friendship.

Even though it had only been three years since they'd been friends, it felt like all along he had known her… And somehow, he was questioning himself and trying to put words on his emotions.

The only thing that could come up to his mind was love, because what his father had told him when he had first met her matched with his symptoms.

Could he be in love with a friend?

In the head of an eight years old boy, that didn't made sense, and so, he decided not to focus too much on the twinge of pain he felt whenever another guy came by talking to her.

She certainly was popular, but somehow, she wasn't mean like the usual jocks…

She was special.

And he realized too late that he wanted to spend the rest of his life with her.

Too late.

He remembered that day…

Oh how he wished he had forgotten it.

Erased it from his memory.

But then, her departure wouldn't make sense.

That day, he waited at the centipede machine. The clock indicated three in the afternoon.

By now, he had thought, she should have been there. They always met at one at the centipede machine, competing at this particular game, the one that had brought them together…

And yet, it had been two hours since he'd search for her throughout the whole arcade, persuaded she was probably hiding, even though he knew deep down that it didn't made sense.

The hours passed, the night came…

And she never came.

His father pull him out of the arcade. That night, somehow, he had a feeling something went wrong. He felt it in his chest, which at the moment was aching, as if trying to cope with the loss of something important…

Pushing these feelings away as he got anxious thinking something bad had happened to her, he went straight to bed that night, not hungry and unable to sleep.

The next day, he went to the arcade.

But then again, she didn't come.

Nor did she the other day.

Or the one after that.

The nervousness growing inside of him at each passing day, he broke in front of his dad, not able to endure the silence and disappearance of his dearest friend.

By the look his father gave him, his face grim and sad, he knew that he somehow had information concerning the matter…

"Papa, please tell me! Tell me where is my best friend! Is she okay?" he asked through choked sobs.

The father's constricted face slowly turned downward and him too, drop a tear or two.

"She lost her mom" was all he said.

That night, the television on, he heard the whole story. The one that broke his heart for good.

They said a couple was arguing in the car about some important matter. The man, judging by some tests, was drunk and driving the car that led to the accident. He survived with minor injuries, but not the woman. The analysis of the scene demonstrated that the woman, probably in an attempt of reaching safety, had released her seat belt. Therefore, seconds later when they collided with a wall, the woman had been ejected through the front window. Some say, that judging by the injuries, she hadn't suffered long. They had pixelated her brain standing on the windshield and the broken corpse on the floor. It was described as unrecognizable. Therefore, no names were mentioned.

Even through the pixels, Natsu could recognize the blonde curls.

The same color as… _what was her goddamn name?!_

They eventually discovered the identity of the dead woman, but Natsu didn't care anymore.

He knew who that was.

That tight line at the mention of the father.

The monster.

He remembered hoping the guy would go to jail for such a crime.

How twisted life can be?

He did go to court… But somehow manage to get out as if nothing had ever happened…

The man, the beast, was rumored to be rich…

Could money erase the death of his own wife?

Could it forgive the cruellest murder a man could perpetrate?

Put it into oblivion as he had with her name?

It seemed so.

After all these years…

How was she doing now?

Did she finally get back to playing video games?

To that, he could answer, since he hadn't seen the girl around…

Wait…

Gildarts did say there was a blonde chick…

A newbie, since he didn't know her…

The girl that had beaten his score…

The avatar…

 _Bloomsbury_

That was the name! The name she had told her when they had first met.

The name he thought was so unconventional…

Could it be…

Could it be that she was back?

His friend…

Or should he say the girl he loved.

 _No way…_

-X-

Igneel… As in Natsu's avatar…

Of course he would be the king…

After all the years they played… Well he continued after she left…

Lucy sighed.

Yes, she did know Natsu before.

Yes, he was her friend.

Her best friend.

The guy she loved as a kid.

But, things weren't the same anymore. Since the death of her mother, the memories pained her too much. The video games associated automatically to her mother and the images came back to her mind, made her cry endlessly. She used to play with her before she had met Natsu. It had used to be her favorite moments of the day.

Moments when her dad wasn't around to screw everything up.

To make her life hell.

And yet, as she started to gain for the first time in a while a bit of happiness, this disaster had to come.

And he was responsible for it.

As he always was.

She hadn't forgiven her dad for the death of her mother, but still, she was young, barely eight.

Therefore, gifts could easily satisfy her. Keep the sorrow away, at least for a while.

Which meant an hour or two.

At least, that's what her father tought.

She wanted to go back to Natsu. To get in his arms and intertwined fingers. To feel his incredible warmth as he would hug her and dry her tears.

But she couldn't.

His father kept her locked in her bedroom.

With tons and tons of toys.

But none could compare to her friend.

To her mom.

Jude was a monster and one of the worst. He was taking everything away from her.

Except objects, because those were things he could have control over.

She still felt the hole left in her chest, getting larger and larger as it gaped at her showing her all the people she loved and cared about.

What a loss.

And yet, it was too late to go back.

Arrange things.

She had heard the issue of the argument that had caused the accident, since they'd had it already so many times before.

It was him.

Natsu.

Her father didn't like him.

Because he made his princess boyish.

Because he taught her violence.

Bullshit.

Jude had drinking problems due to a problematic childhood. Always drinking away the nightmares of his past, he got revenge on the feeble. His wife and daughter. He would get so drunk he wouldn't be able to distinguish the physical traits differencing his own mother and his wife.

And he would hit.

And hit.

Until the blood poured.

Until the bruises accumulated.

Until the bones cracked.

Until the screams of pain brought him back to the present.

To the horrendous things he had done.

But he never felt guilt.

No.

Everything happened for a reason he would say.

He would tell her that after causing the death of her mother.

Of the only family, she had.

And yet, she couldn't get revenge on him.

Never.

-X-

Natsu woke up that morning and ran to the arcade. Gildarts sleeping on the counter, still not accustomed to his early shifts, snored heavily as Natsu enter the building, opening the door wide.

"Guigui… GUIGUI!" Natsu said, tickling the chin of the old fart.

"Hmm, yes beautiful ladies I can escort you all to your bedrooms…" he said drooling.

"You disgust me" Natsu answered and slapped him across the face.

His method did seem brutal, but he was accustomed with Gildarts. He needed to be rough or else the man wouldn't wake up and fulfill the urgent task he had for him.

The man finally woke up, a grin appearing at the corner of his lips as he recognized his favorite customer and friend.

"What can I do to help you? It better be urgent or else I'm going to slap you hard for waking me up!" He said a threat in his voice.

Natsu winced. Even though the guy was old, he still was fairly strong. And by strong he meant, supernaturally strong.

"Look, I need you to do a bit of stalking for me alright?"

"HUH? What for?"

"I want you to tell me when that blondie comes! Alright?" Natsu said, starting to get pissed as he noticed how Gildarts made fun of him.

"But I already know when she comes…" Gildarts whispered and winked in a perverted way.

"Then tell me!" Natsu pressed, failing at covering his excitement.

"You are not a lucky lad, she comes here when you are at work…"

"Then I'll just leave her a note…" he whispered to himself as he searched his schoolbag for paper and pens.

He scribbled quickly a few words on a sheet of paper which he stuck on the centipede machine. And prayed nobody else would read it, but the girl it was destined to.

"If I may ask, why is it that you are suddenly so interested in a girl?" Gildarts drawled wiggling his eyebrows as Natsu was reaching the front door, not wanting to arrive late.

"She used to be my best friend… And my first love alright?"

"What? I have been working here since a decade and I have never heard or seen such a friend of yours!" Gildarts barked.

"Yeah, she left before you started working here. I bet she just decided to come back here. But I don't know why."

"Hold up, you were like eight when I started working here… Weren't you a bit too young to fall in love?" the man questioned.

"Look, all I know is that this girl was very special to me. I have never felt like this towards anybody else. Alright? She… She's just perfect for me. And I wish I could see her again. See if she remembers me." Natsu said and blushed.

Blushed.

Natsu never did that.

Never in a lifetime.

This matter was serious.

"And what happens if she doesn't answer your notes or even remember you?" Gildarts inquired.

"I'll make her remember me." He said and grinned, trying to be positive.

And if that didn't work, he thought, he still had that darn channel of his…

So basically, his plan stayed the same, except for the ending.

At first, he had decided to give YouTube another try, by playing arcade games online. So that he could practice even at home and get a chance to beat the mysterious challenger. And well, doing it on the web could get him to have advice by various gamers…

But now it was different. He still wanted that YouTube channel to work, but he didn't want to make it grow alone.

He wanted to make it a gaming channel with is one and only partner.

Forever and always.

Bloomsbury.


	10. Chapter 10

**Warning! Before reading this, I want you guys to promise me you won't kill me… Say it mentally so that I can feel reassured! I promised fluff and there is! So, I respected my promise… Now for the rest well…. You'll see. Anyway, thanks for the wonderful reviews! It is always a pleasure to read them! I hope you'll enjoy this! Love you all!**

 _Hi..._

 _It has been a long time._

 _I never understood why you left in the first place, but I would love to meet you and discuss the matter…_

 _Even if it is the last time I see you._

 _Your best friend,_

 _Natsu_

Lucy read the letter, tears prickling the corner of her eyes.

So, he recognized the username, the lie she had fed him when they barely were children. If only he knew how desperately she wanted to make it up to him.

But she couldn't.

As the owner of the arcade looked at her expectantly. She addressed him a grim looking face and ripped the letter into shreds.

She looked at his face contorted into sadness as she blew the pieces everywhere and started to the door.

He had looked so happy to direct her to the centipede machine. Pure joy illuminated his eyes as he watched her read the letter…

She hoped he hadn't seen her cry.

Or else it would have blown up her cover and given hope to Natsu…

She got out and sat on the nearest bench away from the owner's reach, the horrendous souvenir coming back to the surface…

-X-

"You shall never see that guy again" he had simply told her after a week of sequestration in her bedroom.

In prison.

"Why?" she had inquired, starting to cry.

 _No… Not my best friend_

 _Please…_

"Because he corrupts you" he had simply answered and left.

But that hadn't been the worst.

As he had finally let her circulate freely in the house, she had hidden as he was passing by, phone in hand, discussing an important matters.

"Yes, the Dragneel father keeps on messaging me, asking me about Lucy… It seems the pink haired boy will change school… And it happens to be the same as my dear daughter… You must understand that I don't want them to see each other… Yes, measures must be taken… I am counting on you… If he refuses, you know what you have to do… Yes, one week" he had answered in a dark tone.

And a week later, surprisingly, Natsu's dad was dead…

A car had run over him…

It had appeared on TV as an accident.

An accident.

AN ACCIDENT!

A witness had seen all of the scene.

The fight between a bunch of men. A red haired one against five other brutes. They had kicked and punched him, but the guy still wouldn't flinch and kept on taking the punches as if they were nothing. And finally, as if they had thought he had enough, they had pushed him hard enough for him to stumble in the middle of the street. It had seemed the guy driving the car hadn't had the time to stop… And had crashed into him, killing him instantly.

She had realized only years later that her father had made sure she would never see her best friend by engaging a bunch of mercenaries. To threaten and kill him if he didn't obey…

Why hadn't he flinched and simply done as they said?

The answer was simple.

She had heard of Natsu's father quite a lot of times at home. He was a source of trouble for her family…

Or should she say, for her father.

Her mother now gone, she was alone with the madman.

The guy that still hadn't gone to jail, because of his immense fortune.

The Dragneel father, understanding the situation Lucy was pressed upon had seen an opportunity to corner him. Natsu always told him the crazy stories she would narrate as they would play together.

Natsu would always listen and get angry wishing he could protect her.

Her knight in shining armor…

Knowing he wasn't fit enough to match her father in strength, he had pressed the matter in the hands of his father, which had decided it had been too much.

A mere citizen.

Against the whole society.

Her father had discovered she had trust in the pink haired boy and knew he consisted in a threat… More and more witnesses would be aware of what he was doing.

But he was just a kid.

Surely he wouldn't talk…

But he had still to pull them apart and keep him from learning too much.

Enough proof so that even money couldn't save him.

Therefore, he had asked the Dragneel father to let his son at the school he was. Not to change like he had hinted he would do.

He even promised to give him money if he did.

But he didn't impose a threat knowing that if he did, the man at the other hand of the phone could as well record him.

And he would be doomed.

But, he hadn't expected Igneel to refuse his proposition.

Nor did he suspected him to yell insults in his direction.

Alright then, he had to use the other manner.

The one that hurt.

He started with daily threats to his son, via anonymous letters so that the guy didn't have enough proof to accuse him.

Seeing it didn't have any impact on his behavior, he called mercenaries to beat him up, in exchange of a great deal of money.

The brutes waited for the man to leave work. And as soon as he got out, jumped on him.

Jude hadn't prepared for the death of the guy.

That truly was an accident.

But an accident that in an odd way was desirable.

The boy wouldn't talk afraid the same thing would happen to him.

Or he wouldn't talk at all having nobody to speak to.

The mercenaries that night had come to his mansion making sure their identity and their employee's was kept hidden. They had told him the entirety of the events, never knowing Lucy was listening, her tiny frame hidden in the shadows.

She hadn't understood who these people were. Though, she knew that they were responsible of Igneel's death.

They then had showed him the remnants of a broken cellphone explaining the guy had tried to film them while they divulge information that could be fatal to him.

The broken pieces showed that in that attempt he had failed.

Lucy, unable to endure it anymore, had broken into tears, revealing her presence.

Jude had made sure the mercenaries had left before hitting her hard enough for her to remember to never do that type of thing ever again.

She was eight.

Eight and she had witness the murder of her father's best friend. And yet, she was useless.

She couldn't do a single thing to avenge them both of that horrendous man she had to call father.

"If he ever knows who is responsible for the murder of his dad, I will kill him as well" he had simply said before leaving her to bleed and rot in her bedroom.

Natsu in the end had stayed at the school he was going to before. His heart broken and all of his family gone.

She could never forgive herself for the death of his dad. She felt responsible.

Had she not met him, none of this would have happened.

None.

He wouldn't have become violent.

He wouldn't have started picking fights with everybody that stared at him.

He would simply be the purest and perfect guy she had first met that day at the arcade.

The guy that somehow managed to come back in her life when he entered the school her father ruled.

How had he happened to come here…

She was ready to bet her life it was because her father was obligated to let him in to avoid suspicions.

After all, refusing an orphan that he didn't know… Somebody who's dad had died some time ago surely smelled fishy…

She would always remember his entrance in the grand all. The joy she had to hide at the sight of him and the crushing pain when she noticed he didn't recognize her.

Not that she had really tried to talk to him, but…

She really had hoped he would at least smile her way. Or see at least a hint of recognition in his eyes even though it had been years since they hadn't seen each other.

But things were better this way.

Safer.

-X-

Coming back to her senses, Lucy wiped the tears away from her face. And breathed calmly.

She regretted blurting the things his father did to her days ago. She was afraid it would have rung a bell in Natsu's head and somehow uncover her identity.

Fortunately for her, the guy was dense and probably panicked enough. The connection hadn't made its way through his mind.

Not yet.

That was why she had to go away before it did.

Before he was in trouble.

Before she lost one of the last people she truly cared about.

-X-

Natsu came back that night at the arcade to a grumpy and sad looking Gildarts.

"What is it?" he said dreading the answer the man was going to tell him.

"I have good and bad news. Which do you want me to start with?" he asked, keeping his face straight.

"Good ones" Natsu answered.

"She read the letter entirely. And judging by her face, she does recognize you."

"What was her reaction" he inquired hope in his eyes.

"Bad news, she looked furious. And ripped the whole thing to shreds before leaving." Gildarts breathe heavily.

 _What?_

 _She…_

 _Was…_

 _Furious…_

 _She doesn't want to see me…_

 _Why?_

 _What did I do to her?_

 _What did I do?_

WHAT

DID

I

DO?

Natsu didn't play video games that night. He only stormed of saying he didn't feel well.

He entered his house.

Dark and lonely.

And he cried.

And cried again.

Until he was so exhausted that he fell asleep on the cold floor.

-X-

Lucy gasped in horror as she saw him enter the English class. His eyes were puffy, swollen red and dark circles surrounded his eyes.

His grin had disappeared, replaced by a grim and sorrowful thin line.

He slouched in his chair and pressed his face against his desk.

Silence fell in the class. Everybody was looking at him, their mouth wide open.

Gray entered the class panicked. He ran to Natsu's desk, patting him on the shoulder.

"What's wrong?" as the words slipped past his lips, conversations began in the class, as if the issue was now solved.

"I don't want to talk about it Gray" he simply said, his face still resting on the desk.

He never called him Gray.

Never.

He always referred to him as ice something…

"Look, I am not missing my first class of the day for you to tell me you don't want to talk about the matter."

As Natsu lifted his head up the desk, he noticed too, that by the look on Gray's face, he wouldn't take no for an answer.

Lucy feeling like a stalker pretended to be interested in the book they had to read for next week's exam. A book she hadn't bothered to open before, knowing she would get top marks again because of her father's money.

Anyway, she had nothing else to do. Nobody spoke to her anymore, knowing how her father hated her guts at the moment, therefore meaning she didn't represent a threat anymore.

"You know that girl I told you I met when I was a kid…"

"That girl you were so excited to see at the school you were supposed to go around the middle of primary school? When you were supposed to leave me… in a way?"

"Yeah…"

"How about her? I mean it's been a decade since you haven't seen her…" Gray said a sad look appearing on his face and concern contorting his features.

"She came back…" he murmured with a sad smile as a tear appeared at the corner of his eyes.

"That's really cool bro! That means you'll finally get to confess to her! Even though you lost contact over the years! Gosh! I remember the day you told me how you had planned to tell her at the arcade before she disappeared! How you thought she was running away from you because she had somehow heard of the feelings you felt towards her! Try to be friends with her first and then invite her to prom!"

"Gray, he said restraining his sobs, she doesn't want to see me." Natsu simply said.

"What? How come?" Gray said slapping himself across the face.

"I don't know why. And it's killing me."

Lucy felt her heart skip a beat.

She had to get out.

She had to slip out of this class before she confessed everything to him.

Seeing the teacher still hadn't arrived, she stood up and marched as slowly as she could, not wanting to look like she was escaping and got out of the classroom.

Out of his sight, she ran to the bathroom.

"WHY?" she yelled at the top of her lungs as happiness fluttered in her mixed with angst.

 _Why did I have to witness this?_

 _How can you love a monster such as myself?_

 _You would so goddamn change your mind if you knew my real name!_

Her heart beat accelerated as her face became red and a smile broke to her face.

But she didn't deserve to feel that way.

So, to refresh herself, she splashed freezing water all over her face so that she could pretend that was the cause of her being bright red.

She had to go back to class sooner or later, or it would look suspicious…

They hadn't talked since the hug, but the rumors they had sex were still circulating in the school.

Meaning people thought they were dating…

 _Oh man. Please Natsu. Don't blame me for keeping away my own self._

She breathed heavily and looking straight entered the class. As she marched to her desk, the class on the verge of beginning, she didn't look his way and sat.

"Maybe it's because she thinks you slept with Lucy…" Gray said to Natsu.

 _Holly molly fucking fuck!_

"Oh c'mon she knows me well. She knows I wouldn't be interested in that type of girl…" he said choosing his words carefully.

"You haven't seen her in ten years… You probably have changed" Gray simply answered.

Lucy wanted to slap him.

To make him stop.

He wasn't holding her responsible for his heartbreak.

Even though she just felt like taking him in his arms and kiss him in front of everybody.

Reassure him she loves him too.

Reassure him they would never be apart again.

But with her father as a threat, she couldn't.

Her father.

Yet again the cause of her struggles.

Of her sadness.

Always.

"Do you think I should try to write her another letter. Telling her I didn't sleep with her… Should I tell her it has always been her and it will always be?" Natsu told him desperate.

"Damn son, you surely are in love with that girl… You asked me before what it felt like, but I guess you found out all by yourself… Anyway, hum, I hate to tell you this, but you don't know where she is… And I am a hundred percent sure she won't come back to the arcades after that whole fiasco." Gray answered him regretfully.

"There must be a way…"

"Class, open up your agenda's I have an important matter to discuss with you all" The teacher said.

Finally.

Lucy was biting her lip so hard she tasted blood.

 _I must not do a single thing._

 _I must not._

"Guess I'll be going then… Not missing my class seems a good idea after all. Talk to you later bro" Gray said and patted him on the shoulder.

Natsu didn't answer and simply went back to his initial position.

"As you know, the ball is one month away. Prom whether you want it or not, costs a lot of money. A whole lot. Therefore, as we do each and every year, you will pair up with someone in the class and direct a kiosk of your choice."

The class went wild. People went running chatting to their friends, already forming teams. Lucy stayed at her place knowing she would probably end up alone.

"Did I say you get to choose your partners?" The teacher screamed.

The class went still.

"Now that I have all of your attention, I would like to mention that I know you dear students as it has been years I have been teaching at this school." He continued

"The goal of this whole thing is to make the most money so that you guys won't have to pay hundreds of dollars for you ticket to prom."

"What if we are not going to prom?" Natsu said, raising his voice so that everybody could hear.

"Well, you still get to do the project as it is your final task in this class for your last term of High school. What you can do is give your share of money to your partner…"

Natsu sighed.

Lucy gripped her chair with all of her might.

"As I was saying, the main goal of this whole thing is to make the most money. Therefore, you won't fool me by getting to be with your friends. I want you to take this task seriously. So, as a result, I gave myself the permission to make you answer a little survey."

"The survey mainly is about your passions and interests. So, the person in the class that has most of the same answers as you gets to be your partner. "

The teacher started walking in the class, passing around papers facedown.

"Before I forget… Putting the same answers as your friends simply to be with them is a bad idea. After all, you'll have to host a kiosk all about the answer you gave me at question five. Plus, there can't be identical kiosks. So, try to be original. "He added before everybody started to fill the sheet.

 _Question one… What do you do in your free time?_

 _The right thing to say is that I write stories and read books._

 _Even though I know… what my real answer is…_

 _Okay, question two… What are you talented at?_

 _Definitely video games, but… I am going to write cooking_

 _I just can't be with Natsu._

 _I just can't._

 _Question three… Would you prefer teaming up with a guy or a girl?_

 _I have to write girl._

 _Question four… What was your dream job when you were a kid?_

 _What kind of question is that? Sure, I wanted to make a gaming channel with Natsu…_

 _No, I can't write that._

 _I wanted to become a princess. There._

 _How ironic… If the matter wasn't so serious I think I could actually laugh at the truthiness of this statement._

 _Question five… What is your passion? (Your kiosk will have to do with this particular answer. Choose carefully.)_

 _Let's write makeup._

"Alright class. Time is up. I will compile the results and give you the name of your partner at the end of the class" The teacher said as he picked up the papers

"For the rest of class, read as many pages of the book as you can." He added before finally focusing on the papers.

Lucy couldn't concentrate on the book even though she wasn't planning on reading it in the first place.

She couldn't help but think of the person that would be stuck with her. The subject of the kiosk in the beginning was lame. And she knew she could only end up with a girl that was what she used to be.

A bitchy popular girl.

-X-

"Alright. I want you guys to listen carefully and write down the name of your partner." The teacher drawled.

Lucy felt the sweat coating her whole body. Her hands started shaking.

 _Why am I anxious? It's impossible for me to be with him. I made up all of my answers to make sure I wouldn't be with him._

 _Okay._

 _Calm down._

 _Calm down._

"Mirajane and Cana" the teacher said as the girls squealed.

"Kiosk, makeup" the teacher added.

 _Fuck._

 _Fuck, fuck, fuck!_

 _Lucy calm down. There are still the other answers…_

 _Don't discourage yourself so quickly._

-X-

Only six people were left and sill both her and Natsu hadn't been named. One girl was remaining… Her sole hope.

"Sting and Yukino"

"Photography boot"

 _Four people left…_

 _I can still end up with one of those two guys…_

"Natsu and Lucy" the teacher blurted.

But before he could add anything else, she was already standing up.

"You can't put me with him. We don't have any interest in common! His passion is video games! I wrote makeup! This is not compatible."

Everybody stared at her in utter shock.

"Funny how you know what he wrote without me even saying it…" The teacher responded with a smile.

"I just looked at what he was writing on his sheet during the test."

"And why would you do that? To make sure your answers didn't match… as if you were afraid you guys would end up together? Interesting" he simply said.

"Sir, they are dating so that's normal she knows what he likes" Cana said.

"Oh really and why then, wouldn't she want to be with her boyfriend? Working together for the ball they would be attending together?"

"Because we are not dating" Natsu flatly answered.

"Anyway. I can't be with this guy. If you force me to, I will tell my dad." She said hoping the threat still stood ground.

"Hmmm, I don't think so. I heard your dad didn't want anything to do with you since a certain break up with… Sting. Also, I am afraid to tell you that I reported your inappropriate behavior to your dad. If you want to get your diploma you'll have to score high and work for once. On the direct order of your father that is!" The teacher answered smirking.

 _No._

 _Not my diploma._

 _Not my chance at freedom._

 _Not my chance at a new start._

"I can't be with this guy. That is all." She said desperate.

 _Or he'll die._

"You are in no place to tell me what is right or wrong. You will work with him or fail my class and your last year of high school."

"You don't understand" She said on the verge of crying.

"On the contrary. I do comprehend. You are a spoiled child that used to always have what she wanted by simply asking for it. Consider yourself lucky I am the only teacher you'll have to get good grades to pass. I didn't think necessary to inform the other teachers of your condition. Therefore, if you cause me any trouble, just know that you'll be in great trouble." He said.

Indeed, she would be in great trouble.

She had stopped studying for any subjects since the beginning of High school but for her literature class, a complementary course in which Natsu was. They'd both taken that class since the beginning of their studies. Even though she worked her best, he would always score higher than her… Justifying his remark as being cleverer than her the first time he did talk back to her.

"Class dismissed" The teacher finally said as students rose of their seats quitting the class.

"We have a kiosk to organize. Meet me at eight at the arcade close to the school. You'll find it quite easily" He said flatly leaving her without even waiting.

Doomed.

She was doomed.

And yet again she couldn't do a single thing to stop it from happening.


	11. Chapter 11

**Hello y'all! Hope you will like this! Please leave a review. I always love to read them. See you guys soon for another chapter!**

 **~ Enjoy ~**

"Alright old fart, you better listen." She yelled at Gildarts, entering the arcades in a rush.

"If it isn't the girl who broke the heart of my best customer." He replied feigning pleasantry.

"Now, stop with the sarcasm. If you listen to me, you might end up seeing a smile on that guy's face." She said.

"Hmm, something tells me you are doing this because you are somehow desperate… But, alright, I'll listen."

"We are supposed to meet here in an hour for a project. The problem is that you know my identity. Therefore, I don't want you to blow up my cover by telling him I'm Bloomsbury."

"What do you offer me in exchange?"

"I'll write him a letter apologizing for my rude behavior and tell him that I did this because I have a jealous boyfriend. Alright?"

"But is that the truth?" Gildarts said glaring down at her.

Lucy tried controlling her facial expression as the blush was creeping to her face at the thought of lying, yet again.

"Ye-yes" she stuttered and knew that she had fucked up.

"Oh, I see him coming right here! Hey Natsu!" he said waving.

Panicked, Lucy turned around trying to localize the said male. As she bore into nothingness as nobody was there, she stared back at the man, pissed.

"I could have had a heart attack! Please don't do that to me, ever again!"

"I might do so, if you don't propose me a better deal." He responded and winked.

"What do you want from me?" She inquired.

"I want you to tell him the truth. I don't know what went on between you guys, but Natsu's a good lad. He deserves better than that."

"What. Do. You. Want. From. Me.", a direct order.

"When he'll enter, I want you to explain yourself to him."

"You didn't hear my point, right? The goal is for him not to know that I am the girl he desperately seeks. Therefore, I cannot fulfill your task."

"Write him a note." He simply replied.

"The explanations would be too long. I wouldn't have the time to write the whole thing down before he arrived." She huffed.

"Then, write him a note…"

"I already told you that it doesn't work!" she cut him off.

"If you had let me finish, you would have seen the difference. I want you to write him a note, with your phone number on it. So that he can text you or call you. Alright?"

Silence fell in the room. Lucy considered the option. It remained the safest. After all, he wouldn't get to truly know her identity and she could give him the answers he painfully wanted to get.

"Deal?" Gildarts said seeing she wasn't responding.

Lucy stared at him and shook vigorously his hand.

"Deal" she whispered.

"So, how do we plan his arrival?"

"What do you mean?"

"Well, are you going to ignore me, sitting at the table over there with that bitchy attitude of yours?" He said pointing at the small wooden desk resting in a corner nearby.

"Or are you going to pretend you had barely arrived and act in a civilized manner, by shaking hands with me and telling me your real name?" He added.

"The second option would look more credible."

"When do you guys meet?"

"Eight, why?"

"Alright, then you should go outside and come back in exactly five minutes."

"That doesn't answer my primary question…"

"Natsu always arrives thirty minutes early. He's always been like that."

 _So, he always waited that much for me when we met at the arcades…_

On that train of thoughts, she went straight for the front door, walking in a rapid rhythm, not bothering to argue with so much at stake.

She felt the cold bit at her skin as a strong wind blew her hair in her face. For the beginning of summer, the night surely was cold. As she pulled her hair back instantly regretting not having a hairband to tie them in that casual ponytail of hers, she just brought them in between her coat and shirt where they wouldn't bother her.

 _Now where do I go?_

She walked a few minutes in the streets already darkened. The atmosphere was so deadly calm you could have sworn she was acting in an horror movie.

 _The last time I went here alone a molester tried to rape me…_

As if she had summoned him, a creep appeared from behind a street pothole. He was so thin she hadn't even noticed his shadow waiting by the corner of the street for god knows what reasons.

"Hey there baby girl! Care for an adventure, if you know what I mean." He said wiggling his eyebrows as light reverberate on his scrawny person.

"No thanks" She answered gruffly trying to hide her fright at the sight of him.

The guy brought to light an emptied bottle of alcohol and sent a grin in her direction, struggling to keep balance, as he ignored her clear answer.

"Do you want some? He asked, taking a small pouch of powder from a side pocket of his way too large coat.

She started backing away, preparing herself to run. He was deeply drunk, therefore the chances of him catching her would be thin.

Unless… Unless he was faking being drunk…

Thinking about it, she noticed how he didn't slurred. He actually did spoke with such clarity, that she now doubted he was even that drunk.

Maybe he was just giving her that impression, showing her the bottle, swinging weirdly, so that she would feel safe and drop her guard…

"I am not interested in guys like you. Nor do I do drugs." She answered, less confident as the minutes passed.

She wasn't far from the arcades judging by the bright lights that still shone a few meters away from her. Maybe… Six hundred? The matter of a few minutes of fast walking…

Would she have the time to get there before that pervert actually got to her?

"Hmm, maybe after a few puffs you'll change your mind" He said and approached even more, a predatory look on his face.

The distance was closing in between the two. And even though her mind screamed her to run, she felt paralyzed by the terror he inspired her.

She couldn't move.

"No… No…" She answered in a pitched voice, blowing up her illusion of confidence that already was weak.

"With a hot babe like you to warm up my bed tonight… I guess I won't get bored" He said reaching for her arm as it lay at her side motionless.

"NO!" She screamed at the top of her lungs.

The force of the cry, taking him by surprise, the creep backed up a few steps and looked around. As if searching for somebody to show up.

To save her.

A smile of relief appearing on his features, he gripped her arm tightly and, letting his bottle fall to the floor, took out a knife from another pocket.

"Scream like that again and that perfect body of yours will bleed and tint the pavement in its crimson color." He murmured in her ear.

His breath reeked of alcohol and another substance she rather not know the name.

Nodding in fear, a tear slid down her cheek as she restrained her sobs.

She was mad at herself for not attempting to run. For her body not obeying her orders, and in a critically moment such as this one.

She then stopped all at once as she recognized a tall male figure a few steps away.

Seeing he had been noticed, he pressed a finger to his lips and approached slowly and silently.

Not wanting to give him away, Lucy stared the rapist straight in the eyes and smiled.

"You little cunt, are you finally getting excited?" He asked letting go of her wrist to grip her chin firmly. He then approached his face to hers, sticking his tongue out in an explicit way.

Oh my god… He was going to kiss her...

Repulsed, Lucy tried pushing her face away from his, but it was useless.

His grip was like iron. She couldn't escape it.

"Hey babe, you surely look sexy as hell tonight. Would you care to warm up my bed a little too?" A weird girly voice erupted from behind.

"Waa! A threesome! Su…"The disgusting pig said, slowly turning his face to stare the "female" he would have the pleasure to do nasty things with.

He didn't see the fist coming as it collided abruptly with his nose breaking it into pieces. The blood dripped down his chin forming a small lake on the pavement.

The pain taking control of his face, the man gripped his broken nose dropping the knife at the same time.

The guy didn't look so scary anymore as he cried like a baby, not able to endure the pain.

A pity, because Lucy wanted to teach him a lesson that would hurt as much.

His groin fully exposed, she aimed and swung as hard as she could her foot at the vulnerable region.

The guy, his already blackening eyes bulging from his head, drop to his knees gripping tightly his balls.

Lucy doubted he would be able to reproduce anytime soon.

Oh well, she didn't feel bad.

Wishing the guy would drown in his own blood and tears, she finally acknowledged the male that had saved her not only once, but twice now.

"Thanks." She answered with a blush creeping on her cheeks.

She then jumped on him and embraced him in a tight hug.

"Woah, calm down!" Natsu told her as she closed her arms against his warm chest and buried her face in the crown of his neck.

Realising what she had just done, Lucy quickly pulled away, embarrassed.

"Sorry. I don't know what has gotten into me…"

 _Quick! Quick! Insult him to break the awkwardness._

 _To prove him you didn't really feel like hugging him._

"Honestly you are such a… a…" She stammered as she tried coming up with something that would hurt him in the worst ways.

But her mind was empty. Devoid of anything mean to say.

"Leave it. I already know that. Now, shall we? I don't feel like spending the whole evening on that project." He answered flatly.

Lucy pretended to be offended, but felt relieved he hadn't seen how she was weakened by his presence.

-X-

"Natsu! Finally bringing me a girlfriend?!" Gildarts acted.

"Nan, just Lucy." Natsu replied.

Lucy put on a straight face, trying not to react at the pain these simple words had on her.

"Hi, Lucy. Nice to meet you. The name's Gildarts." Gildarts said.

"I am pleased to meet you Sir."

As she started following Natsu to the wooden desk Gildarts had pointed earlier, he tugged at her elbow.

Natsu sat at the table and sent him a questioning look.

"Since she's a new customer, I need for her to fill a little card. If she ever plays, she needs a pseudonym." Gildarts answered feigning disinterest.

 _That's new… When we used to play, such things didn't exist. Thanks to that, Natsu doesn't know who I am to him._

"I hate video games, so why should I waste my time filling this?" she groaned.

"It will only take a few minutes." He insisted.

As he gave her the little sheet and a pen, she quirked her brows at the word CELLPHONE written in big letters.

And then it came back to her.

The whole deal.

Not wanting to look suspicious, she hurried and wrote her number on the tinny paper and signed her fake name quickly at the end, giving it back to Gildart as if it was poisonous.

"Hey…Guigui, now that I remember, you've never made me fill this little survey… Can I have one too?" Natsu inquired slowly rising from his seat.

"Na, I filled it myself. I didn't want you to bother wasting your time with that. After all, I knew all the little details I needed about you."

Lucy sighed in relief. She hadn't realized she had stopped breathing when he had expressed his doubt aloud.

"Okay, thanks man." He answered and sat back.

Lucy looked at Gildarts and murmured a little thank you.

He then whispered so that only her could hear: "If it happens to be a fake number, I swear on my life that you'll regret lying to me" and smiled broadly, in the fakest way she had ever seen in her entire life.

She smiled and went directly to the wooden desk where Natsu was waiting for her with a notebook and multiple pens.

As she sat down, he looked at her straight in the eye and stayed there, transfixed.

"Is there something wrong?" She asked, starting to blush like mad.

"Other than your red face, nothing." He replied as he looked away embarrassed.

"You are lying."

"I am not!" Natsu exclaimed on the defensive.

"Are you really thinking you can fool me with that pitiful excuse? Oh c'mon what's wrong? You wouldn't have looked so embarrassed if there truly was nothing worrying you at the moment." She said, trying to convince him into revealing what was on his mind.

"I am nervous, because that lame project isn't advancing fast enough."

"As if that was the real thing bothering you."

"So, what would you like our kiosk to look like?" He quickly answered changing the subject.

Seeing he wouldn't tell her, she signed and decided to concentrate on the project.

If he knew who she was, things would have been different. They would probably have reported the project meeting to later, worried about the welfare of the other. She thought about his hand sliding into hers as he wouldn't look so disgusted by her. She knew he would have that look of worry on his face, something she would love to wipe off with their first kiss. But, things weren't as easy as telling him the truth and finally getting the happy ending she had always wished for.

"You didn't answer my question." He said waving a hand in front her.

"Neither did you." She answered and regretted immediately being harsh to him. Considering the fact that his sadness was caused, in the first place, by her.

"Maybe I don't want to tell you." He said, a threat in his voice. His patience had limits and she was going to reach past that.

"If you actually told me, then maybe I could help you."

"You can't even take care of yourself. And anyway, how could you be helpful in any way if you never did even once in the seventeen years you lived? All you do is ruin the happiness of others because you can't bear to be the only one sad" he blew out.

"Now hold up. You can't hold me responsible for the rejection of the girl you love. It is not my fault she doesn't want to talk to you anymore" she screamed.

 _Why do I always have to lie… Lie like this and make him suffer?_

 _It's for his own good._

 _His own good, to give up on someone like me._

"It actually is. If she didn't think you and I are dating, then maybe she would be my girlfriend at the moment. I would probably be asking her the color of her dress to match with my own outfit as we would go to prom. I wouldn't be wasting my time meeting you here. I would have made sure she was my partner…"

"Oh really! Because of course, you have seen her everyday of your life. You know exactly where she is and what she wants. You never…" She choked and went silent.

"Go ahead. Say it."

"Say what?" she said pretending she didn't understand what he meant by his request.

"You were going to say that I never knew if she loved me. You were going to tell me I didn't have any chances with her because of what I look like. You were going to say I didn't deserve her…" He said on the verge of crying.

Horrified, Lucy tried saying she was sorry. That it wasn't at all what she was going to say, but he wasn't finished yet.

"You… You were going to tell me that maybe she actually disappeared of my life because she knew what I felt towards her and it disgusted her. "

"But she… She is the best thing that could have ever happened into my life. She was my first true friend. She was the one that made me feel as if I was special. The best human being ever. And when she left, I felt as if a part of myself had went with her. But what do you care? All you do is go out with popular guys you don't even like."

"That's not true and you know it. I was forced to go out with that guy on the orders of my dad. You think that you know me so well, but you could be surprised. I am not the one you think I am and yet, it is better that you perceive me that way… She said, lowly in a tight whisper.

"Look, if I ever get the chance to meet her, I promise I'll tell her that we are not dating alright? Because I see that you really love her." Lucy added.

"You don't even know who she is!"

"But do you?" She answered

" I remember perfectly what she used to look like."

"There you have your answer. Used to be. What if she dyed her hair, what if she got disfigured… What if she gained weight… Would you still recognise her if you saw her in the street, no matter what might have changed?"

"Yes, of course, because she is my soulmate. I would feel that it's her. I would know it's her. " He said with confidence.

"This is where you are wrong." Lucy let out.

"And how would you know? Do you know her personally? Are you inside my head?

"No… But, that said feeling, have you felt it towards a girl in particular since her departure. Have you felt it even once?"

"Why would I tell you that?"

"To convince me, maybe?"

"So, the project. What do you want it to look like?" he asked back with his flat tone.

"So, you do have somebody in mind. Why won't you tell me who it is?"

"So, the project. What do you want it to look like?"

"Answer my question first and I'll answer yours." Lucy said.

"So, the project. What do you want it to look like?"

"Gosh. You act like a child! I want it to look like a competition. People get to compete and the grand winner will get candies." She answered out of frustration.

"No wait, the finalist gets to compete against the highest scorer of this arcade." She quickly added.

"That will be impossible."

"Why?"

She knew why, but she still wanted to hear him say her pseudonym aloud. Admit she was better than him.

"Because the highest scorer of this arcade is me, and I don't compete against mediocre gamers."

"Wow. Are you that ashamed to admit that the highest scorer of this arcade isn't actually you, but a girl? Is your pride affected that much as to lie to me?

"How do you know that?" he asked offended

"Guess the nice sir over at the counter said it to me while I was filling his stupid card."

"Whatever. Nobody will be able to beat me. I guess being paid to play video games isn't that bad after all."

"I wouldn't be so sure if I were you."

"Now what. You think you can beat me? Is that it?" He laughed humorlessly.

"I am not bad myself, but I guess somebody else would be good enough to beat you." She answered wiggling her eyebrows.

"Let me show you what real talent is." He simply said and went directly to the centipede machine.

"Look, I would love to watch you play, but I have a busy schedule. So, I'll be going. If you need to discuss anything, find me at school." She said and waved as she got out of the arcades.

- **X-**

Natsu watched at the bay window until he made sure she had safely embarked in the black limo waiting outside.

He hadn't answered her question earlier.

Because he would have made a fool of himself telling her he had a feeling she was his lost friend. He couldn't understand the feeling that rose in his chest as she came into his peripheral vision.

Maybe it was her blond hair that shone under the rays of the sun as she was enveloped in an halo of bright pure light.

Or her chocolate brown orbs that made him melt each and every time she looked his way.

As the days went on, he was less and less confident about that feeling.

How could it be his Bloomsbury?

That girl he played with when they were children actually enjoyed his company. She didn't pretend he was infested by viruses that would transform her into an ugly witch… She didn't bully him…

But on the other hand… She also had an abusive father with which she couldn't seem to deal with. And she never mentioned her mother.

But if it truly was her, why would she keep away from him?

Lost in his thoughts, Natsu didn't see Gildarts approaching a small piece of paper in his hands.

"What the fuck happened earlier? I was starting to think somebody would go out of there without its head. You are lucky there wasn't any customers inside. Do you imagine me having to kick you out?"

"Sorry, it's just that Lucy was being a nasty brat as usual."

"Right. I really did think she was your girlfriend. You guys would look great together ya know?"

"See? That is exactly the reason of our fight. I have no desire to ever date a girl like that. And the fact that people think we are a couple gets on my nerves."

"Why does it bother you so much?"

"Do I have to remember you where my love actually lies? I am in love with Bloomsbury. So, Lucy is a threat to my being engaged in a relationship with her. I even suspect that the reason she doesn't want to talk to me anymore is in majority related to that false rumor running around. The other being me dating such a superficial girl."

"Woah… You sure hate that girl.." Gildarts said, a grim look somehow appearing on his concerned face.

"Well, she made my life hell since the beginning of high school. Love is impossible, at least for me."

"If you say so…"

"Guigui, no matter what you say, I won't change my mind about that matter." Natsu simply said.

"Alright then. I still have rather unexpected news for you."

"What is it?" Natsu said flatly.

He surely was tired and felt like sleeping the pain away.

"The said girl, Bloom-whatever… She left me a letter for you." He said giving him the piece of paper.

"Why didn't you tell me she was there? I could have finally met her!" Natsu said, rage in his eyes.

"Look, I am sorry alright? I hope these are good news because you look like shit right now." He said and went back to the counter.

Natsu looked at the "letter". On it was written a phone number and a sentence.

 _I'll explain everything okay? Just text me alright? For important matters, I cannot answer a phone call._

 _Bloomsbury_

A smile crossed his lips. So, she wasn't mad at him. She was going to explain.

He would finally have answers.

And maybe a chance to confess.

There was still hope.

On this train of thoughts, Natsu left the arcades, running like mad, a wide grin beautifying his features, Lucy vanishing completely of his thoughts as his theory felt quite stupid.

 **-X-**

He went straight to bed, opening his cellphone and adding the number to his contacts.

He then breathed heavily and sent a simple "hello".

He felt encouraged as he got an answer right away.

The conversation was going smoothly as it felt as if they had never been apart.

She was the same as he remembered her.

 **-X-**

Lucy explained him everything.

Or something close to that. She avoided the parts that could compromise her identity or the dark memories surrounding the death of Natsu's father simply because it felt good to finally feel like he was happy.

For the first time in months she felt as if she could be herself, Lucy Heartfilia, the girl he had grown to love when they were just kids.

She didn't have to be afraid to tell him she loved him because in these circumstances, it felt right.

But still.

As he didn't know the full story, she couldn't send him such words even though he was dying to hear them, simply because if she wanted to make sense of their departure, it would feel awkward and weird for her to confess her feelings a decade later.

Since he hadn't brought up the subject, she thought the best option was to stay in casualties and make sure he wouldn't try to get too close.

Though, she knew that if he did ask her to prom, even though she would want to refuse with all her might for his safety, she wouldn't be able to say no.

But she would have to do so, or else, he would see it was her all along…

And she couldn't permit that.

Not until…

Until her father didn't endangered him.

Which probably meant never.

As a tear slid down her cheek, her cellphone beeped.

"Gosh. I need to host a kiosk as a final task at school…"

She texted back without thinking: "As a final task at our school I don't find it that bad"

As she realized the mistake she had just made, it was too late. He had already read it.

" You are at the same school as me? How come we haven't hang out before?" He instantly replied.

 _Fucking fuck._

"Because, my father is very protective. Since the death of my mother, I am the only family he has left. That's why I tend to isolate myself."

A half-truth.

But still, to repair her mistake that seemed like the right thing to say.

"Will you at least come to my kiosk. I would like to just see you once. There are things that are better said face-to-face then on texts."

 _What do I do? If I say no, will he understand? At the same time, I can't propose him to come to my kiosk… If I pretend to drop by… Without him actually noticing me… Then that would be okay… I guess._

"Sure, I host a costume kiosk. I'll drop by and show it to you. You will be at the gaming kiosk, am I right?"

"Amazing! And yeah, maybe we could compete like we used to?"

 _Why not? If I am disguised he won't recognize me._

 _And everybody will be happy._

"Sure, it would be my pleasure to beat you!" she texted back.

"Don't think it will be that easy! I trained when you were gone!"

"Maybe I had the games at home! What about that?"

"Let's make a deal then."

"Why would I agree to that?"

She suddenly felt nervous.

 _Why do I feel like this is a bad idea…_

"Because if you are so sure of yourself, then you won't mind if I spice things up a bit!"

"What do you have to offer?"

"If I win, you have to go to prom with me. If you win, well, pick anything you want and I'll do it"

 _What have I embarked in! If I do actually lose… I would love to go to prom with him. I would even be willing to let him win, but I…_

"C'mon! You owe me that for leaving me alone all these years" he added

 _Maybe I could arrange for my dad to have an important meeting during prom so that I could go and make sure he is safe…_

 _I should just stop always blocking myself from having fun because of my stupid dad!_

 _We both deserve that._

"Alright, challenge accepted. If I win though, you have to dress up as a princess and post a video of yourself singing the Disney song associated to your outfit and post it on your YouTube channel."

"How do you know I have a YouTube channel?"

"I might have found it and subscribed… I mean, who other than you would name it Igneel?"

"Hey, this is provisory. One day, it will be named after us."

"Like when we were kids"

"Like when we were kids."

"It's getting late, we should get some sleep." She texted even though she was fully awaken.

"Okay. Guess I'll be talking to you in my dreams then"

"Don't worry. I am planning on doing that too. Good night Natsu."

"Good night Bloomy"


	12. Chapter 12

**Warning, this chapter will be mainly focused on Cana and it contains spoilers concerning her father's true identity. (Spoilers from the original work!)**

 **Thanks again for all the support! I really appreciate it!**

 **I am afraid to tell you that this fanfiction will end in a maximum of four more chapters…**

 **So, beware for what has yet to come!**

 **Hope you'll enjoy!**

"Cana…"

The brunette huffed and closed her computer as the teacher came nearer to her desk. She heard her quick steps as her high heels drummed on the floor, producing an echo in the already silent classroom.

"Dear, I would like you to tell the class about the SO important researches you've been doing for the entirety of my class."

"Then I am sorry to disappoint them. I am afraid it is none of their business nor is it of yours in any way." She answered.

"How dare you speak to me like that! Go straight to the principal's office!" The teacher screamed angered.

Cana left her place, gripping her computer firmly and headed straight out of the class. As she passed the oak door, she quickly veered left, therefore going the opposite way. The teacher wouldn't even notice, as it wasn't the first time she was expelled publicly from that horrific class.

As far as she knew, she wasn't passing the course, which was probably due to her lack of presence…

But there were far more important questions that needed to be answered. She preferred knowing who her biological father was rather than be able to prove why some dumb equation resulted in some other dumb shit.

So, for the past month, she had been searching, hoping she would get to meet the person who had messed up all of her life.

The person that was responsible for her mother's sadness.

But her motive hadn't always been of the sort. At first, she wanted to find him so that he could complete the missing part of their family. She was just a kid.

A kid who dreamt of a father rather than precious gifts.

-X-

It was the day she lost her best friend.

It was her fault sure, but she couldn't expect her to understand her situation. All she knew, was that she had money and that to have friends, she would buy anything they wanted.

Surely Cana appreciated her for far better motives, but on that special occasion, she had decided to be selfish.

She was tired of the blank answers her mother gave her whenever she asked about the mysterious daddy. She couldn't even put a name on that said man. All she knew was that he would only bring them sorrow and trouble.

Therefore, she had asked her friend to buy her a laptop. So that she could research the internet and beg her dad to come back home. To make her mom smile again.

She wished she could have told her the reasons behind such a demand, but ashamed as she was, she decided to shut her mouth. She didn't want people to know how miserable her life at home was. They were already making fun of Lucy behind her back…

Using her for her money…

When she thought about it, she could be, for once, not so different than the others. She could ask of her friend such a crucial and expensive gift and pretend their friendship was based only out of money to keep her shame at bay, away from the glares and judgments of others.

But then, why did she hate herself so much for it? Why did she feel so bad?

Maybe because she knew deep down that her friend's family life wasn't so much better then hers.

She had after all told her, on multiple occasions, how her dad barely was at home.

But she still had somebody she could call that way.

A certain someone to refer to when you had to present your family in oral presentations.

She didn't have to invent a man. Or pick a random cousin somewhere far away in the family to bore such a noble and important title…

-X-

She hadn't got the laptop that day. And obviously it had been the end of Lucy's generosity.

She had discovered the truth about the hypocrisy of the people surrounding her. And yet, Cana remembered that she was mad at her for understanding the true nature of these people.

She was mad because she didn't get the chance to have a shot at happiness.

And this, because she couldn't get the said laptop.

But then again, she was just a kid.

-X-

She needed a bit of information to actually have a chance at finding potential candidates.

Which she received, when her mom died, a month ago.

She had committed suicide.

Killed herself in some foreign corner to make sure her daughter didn't find her in such an atrocious state.

She remembered the police officers knocking at the door announcing her the news.

And she did not cry. After years of suffering, years of drinking and drugging herself, her mother had finally understood she would never get a new shot at life.

She had messed up too badly, crumbling under debts.

And debts.

And debts.

Her eyes were dry and she saw the horror on the officers' faces as she simply stood there. Not an ounce of reaction showing on her straight cold face.

She was tired.

Tired of worrying about her mother constantly high and dysfunctional.

She felt relieved.

Her mother was dead and she felt good.

As if a weight had dropped of her shoulders.

She knew, it was unusual, but she somehow took the news as a new beginning. As if restarting her life from the very start.

Even when her mother had lived, she had nobody to rely on. Nobody to confess her fears and heartbreaks to.

Her friends would have normally done the job, but they were too self-centered on their own private lives. Their supposedly atrocious problems that revolved around the same douche bag which happened to be Lucy's boyfriend.

She was suffering in silence and yet nobody noticed.

Nobody cared.

Until she started crying, three weeks ago, not being able to contain herself anymore.

The tears poured as she screamed and tugged hard at her hair. It hurt, but it was nothing compared to the pain that devoured the entirety of her soul.

It bit at every inch of her heart, blackening it with its filth and suffocating the life out of it with its obscure oppression.

"Cana, what's wrong?" had asked the arcade's owner as he had ran and taken her in his arms hugging her tightly.

"It's nothing Guigui. Nothing."

She was wrong. This guy had always been there for her. He felt like the dad she never had. Whenever she went to the arcades and sulked about her mother's behavior, he would smile broadly at her and listen.

He would console her no matter what.

But unfortunately for her, she couldn't always manage to get to the arcades when everything in her life felt wrong.

And even though her mother didn't want her to find out who her real father was, there was still hope blooming inside of her. Like a little seed in need of light to grow into that wonderful flower it aspired to be.

So, she worked herself to sleep. She kept on getting numerous jobs, in hope of earning enough money to get that stupid laptop and begin her researches.

After three full months of hardworking, she was coming back home with a brand-new computer.

She hadn't eaten that night, too focused on trying to find her dad.

As if it were that easy…

That was, until her mother's death.

When she finally got the permission to take a look at her testament, she truly wished to find clues that would lead her to the man she had been looking for her entire life.

She hadn't been able to cover her shock as she had discovered her birth certificate along with the said papers.

"Hapricus Gildarts Clive"

The name hadn't ring any bells in her head at first, since it was sort of unconventional.

But, with at least a name, she thought she would be able to find the said man quickly enough and give him a piece of her mind.

But today, like the other days before, she hadn't discovered anything new.

She felt desperate and useless. She wasn't even able to discover where her dad lived even though it seemed she had everything she needed…

-X-

"Natsu! Hey pinky bastard!" Lucy screamed at the top of her lungs.

"What do you want?" He asked softly a wide grin plastered on his face as he took of his earplugs and stared at her, giving her his full attention.

"It's for the project."

"Okay, what is it?"

"I thought that we could ask Guigui to let us borrow one of his video games for the arcades. You know, for the competition!"

"Yeah, good idea."

"What about the centipede game?" She inquired and loved how his face contorted into surprise and… happiness?!

"Yeah! It's one of my favorite games!"

"Alright then, how do we get to budge that thing in the campus? I mean it's going to be pretty heavy!"

"We don't even know if he will say yes…"

"Trust me. Not a man on earth can resist my charm!" Lucy said triumphantly.

"I can" he answered

 _No… But I'll leave you at that for the moment._

Lucy giggled and waited for his answer.

"Look, I'm truly sorry, but I'll be pretty busy for the next days, so I am afraid I won't be able to help you with that… Maybe ask one of our classmates for some help?"

"Hey! That's not fair! You are leaving me all of the work to do!"

"That's not true! I already did all of the posters. All that is left to do is to glue them to our kiosk and bring the video game. I don't think I'm asking too much out of you…"

"Alright." She sighed and left.

 _Find a classmate to help me huh? As if it were that easy!_

She then saw Cana, sitting on a nearby bench, her hands on her forehead, looking desperate.

 _Guess I'll go with her…_

"Hey there Cana…" She quickly said.

"What do you want Lucy?" Asked Cana gruffly.

"Look, I am truly sorry to ask you this but, I really need help to carry a video game. And… Well I was wondering if you would mind helping me…?"

"And why would I do that?"

"Because I am desperate?"

Cana glared at her with hatred.

"Hum… Pretty please?"

"Fine!" She finally answered and stood up, never leaving her laptop.

 _An object which had signed the end of their friendship…_

-X-

"Why are you so on edge today?" Lucy inquired, more to fill the awkwardness between them.

"Why do you care." She simply answered.

Not a question.

"Because you look really sad" she tried.

"Like all the other days before" she simply replied

Lucy looked at the floor.

She already knew that, but after her catastrophic birthday, they hadn't talked to each other.

And some part of her regretted messing up her special day for her selfish reasons.

But she had to.

"Look, I am tired of looking for a man that has never been there for me in my entire life"

They entered the arcades.

"I must admit that with so little of information, it will be difficult to make any progress…"

"Well, guess what, I finally got access to some resources and I know the name of my father!" She said sarcastically.

"That's wonder…"

"But I am not even able to find him! How lame am I!" she cut her off.

Both girls looked at Gildarts and waved as he smiled at them.

"What's is name? Maybe I can help you…"

"The name's really weird… Plus, I don't see why you would help me all of a sudden."

"Maybe because I know how it feels not to have a dad." Lucy answered somberly.

"What are you girls talking about?" Gildarts asked.

"Well, I finally have the name of my dad." Cana said, trying to smile.

"I am happy for you! It's been a long time since you've been searching for him!"

"Yeah, by the way, Guigui, since you have a lot of customers, there might be a chance you've encountered him once…"

"It's possible… What's his name?" Gildarts inquired.

"Look, don't laugh okay, it's really weird… You see, the guy is called Hapricus and… here's a part of my mom testament that I am supposed to give him if I ever find him. See how crazy things are?" She laughed sadly.

"I am not sure I heard well… Can you repeat the name please?" responded Gildarts suddenly looking sick.

"Hapricus… Wait, Hapricus Gildarts Clive… Yeah, that's it" She read.

"Holly shit!" He said and snatched the paper destined to her father from her hands.

"You, you know him? Guigui! You know him? Please tell me you do!"

The said man started reading the letter.

"Guigui! That's for my dad! Stop reading this!" she said as she pulled at the paper.

"Answer me instead! Do you know this guy?"

"Do you know this guy?"

Lucy was slowly turning green.

 _No… Could he be…_

"Fuck! Yes Cana! Yes, I know this man goddamit!"

"Do you know where he is?" she asked as tears poured on her face.

"Shut up! I am trying to concentrate!" he said as his eyes started to get wet.

"Stop reading that and tell me where he is!" Cana screamed.

"I am here! Okay? I am here! That's my fucking name you read. Now if you let me read this in peace, I might be able to understand!"

"No…It can't be…" Cana cried and ran away.

Gildarts hearing the door close, started looking out the window and panicked, started running after her.

After his daughter.

-X-

 _Dear Hapricus,_

 _I am sorry to tell you this at such an odd moment, but it seems like the right time for both of you to unravel the truth._

 _Our little Cana was conceived after a late-night party. We were both young and drunk._

 _I never told you that I was pregnant because a week later you were gone with another woman._

 _I felt, oh I felt many things…_

 _And even considered getting an abortion._

 _But then, I thought about this little being slowly growing in my belly. And I didn't thought fair for him to die so tragically._

 _I didn't think fair, for such a beautiful little girl, to be taken away from life simply because I was too selfish._

 _If you read this letter, that means I am probably dead._

 _It means Cana has found you._

 _I know I am asking a lot from you, but there is not a day I don't hear from you. Our little girl asks on repeat where is her dad._

 _She asks why I keep on crying whenever she pronounces that noun._

 _She asks if it's her fault "daddy" left._

 _And I am sure she'll never grow tired of it as the years will go on…_

 _But how am I supposed to tell her that her dad doesn't even know of her existence?_

 _How am I supposed to tell her that she wasn't desired in the first place?_

 _It breaks me to think I will someday have to break her heart like that._

 _So please, if you read this letter,_

 _Please,_

 _Love her._

 _And be there when she will need you._

 _She might be older now._

 _You won't have so many responsibilities._

 _So please, fulfill that one at least._

 _Love,_

 _Cornelia_

-X-

"Cana! Wait!" Gildarts screamed as he ran after her.

"Go away you jerk!"

"I won't leave my daughter! Not this time!" he answered and caught up to her.

"Don't touch me, you disgusting pervert!"

"Aren't you ashamed of calling your dad such cruel names?" he replied tears pouring down his cheeks.

"You've never been there for me! So, don't pretend you deserve that name!" she said as she thrashed against him.

"Let me explain… Please" he cried.

He cried.

Cried.

The words were echo in Cana's head as she realised that strong old man was…crying.

Actual tears were pouring from his eyes as he held on to her. He was shaking. And whispering over and over again how he was sorry.

And she somehow wanted to believe him.

She needed to believe in his words.

"I was ashamed of my name. Of the reputation that went with it. So, I erased a part of it, so that I wouldn't be associated to that horrendous man I used to be. I wasn't a nice man when I was younger. I slept with numerous women. And at that moment I hadn't realised what it felt like to fall in love, until I met your mother. But I was scared. I was scared of forming a family and dedicate myself to only one woman. I was afraid I might make a mistake. I didn't want to lose my freedom, because I thought it would be a burden to always stay with the same and only woman for the rest of my days. So, I fled. And left your mother alone while I was having sex with pretty much all of the girls I could find. I was trying to forget your mother. But each and every time I closed my eyes, I remembered the taste of her lips and how she made me feel whenever she looked at me. She loved me too. And I failed her. She isn't there anymore and I still failed her. I was wrong to leave in the first place! But I won't fail you!" he screamed, choking on his sobs.

"Do you promise me you'll stay by my side?"

"Yes"

"Do you promise, dad?"

"Yes, I promise Cana!" he said and hugged her even harder.


	13. Chapter 13

**Hello! I hope you guys will enjoy this chapter! And not kill me! Please leave a review!**

 _Okay... Think... Think..._

 _Quick!_

Lucy was staring blankly at her reflection in the mirror, wondering in which costume she should attend school.

She perfectly knew nobody had such a thing as a costume kiosk, but she counted on the ignorance of Natsu to save her. She wasn't particularly happy at the idea of playing two girls at once, but it seemed she didn't have a choice.

She would rather have spent her whole evening playing the mysterious stranger with Natsu, but her grades were at stake and so was his temper. If she wasn't there as his comrade, she doubted he would survive the day as their kiosk probably would be the most popular.

Lucy breathed heavily as she tried to calm herself down. Little butterflies where happily flying all over the place in her stomach. And the anxiety was ruining that wonderful mood as it made her want to vomit all over the place.

 _C'mon you can do this! You acted all of your life, this time won't be so different._

Concentrating once more on her task, she looked at the mess she had made of her bedroom.

Piles and piles of clothes were covering the ground accompanied with masks varying in shapes and colours.

She had to find something that would hide her identity, but still looked sexy enough to make him glare at her in that fashion she loved so much.

Looking through her humongous stack of clothes, she noticed a lonely red dress resting in the middle of the pile. Glaring at it questioningly, she picked it up and, judging by the seize of it, knew it hadn't belong to her in the first place.

The thin fabric shone as the rays of sunshine put it on the spotlight.

She was sure she had seen it before. Maybe on pictures…

Not bothering to push her thoughts further, she hurried and picked randomly in the pile of masks that laid sprawled on the floor.

She then dressed herself quickly and began filling her bag with the multiple accessories she would be needing for her kiosk.

Since their theme was video games, she had decided to dress up as Tetra from Legend of Zelda as she was one of her favorite characters.

She hadn't notified Natsu about that crazy idea she had, but deep down she wished he would have dressed up as Link so that they could match.

She knew he wasn't blonde, but the romantic part of her wished for such a coincidence to happen.

Sighing deeply at her stupid wish, she descended quickly the stairs carefully avoiding any eye contact with her father. Entering the kitchen, she grabbed an apple and quickly started running for the black limo awaiting both her and her dad at the front door.

She quickly entered, plugged her earbuds and breathed deeply as she felt her dad sitting beside her.

It was hard not to pull away as his arm brushed against hers.

She felt repulsed by his whole being. But, unfortunately, she was in no condition to give him a piece of her mind.

So, she shut herself up as the euphoria grew up in her belly at the thought of seeing the guy she so desperately loved.

 **-X-**

Silence fell between them for the whole ride to school. She was surprised he hadn't even made a comment about the bright red dress she was wearing as it exposed her cleavage and generous breasts.

But these days, her father was barely speaking to her, probably still bearing a grudge for the humiliation she had supposedly put him through.

She sighed in relief as she saw the familiar building rearing in her vision. As she opened the door and slipped out of the limo, her father finally glared in her direction.

Shock was written all over his face. It was the first time she had seen him make such a face and somehow, she was glad he finally had a reaction. He always gave her the cold shoulder and even though she hated him with all her heart, she still wished she wasn't invisible to him from time to time.

As he opened his mouth to say something, she closed the door in his face no wanting him to blow her cover.

She had told the driver the evening before to drop her one stop before her actual school not wanting Natsu to discover who she truly was.

Thinking back about this, she saw the limo stop a few meters away as her father elegantly departed from the pricy car and headed straight to the establishment not even a glare in her direction.

It seemed the shock wasn't strong enough to make him feel something for more than a minute…

Well then, she had far more important things to take care of.

And so, with a smile she thought would never cross her lips again, she started walking with confidence in the direction of the school.

 **-X-**

The kiosk looked better than what she had expected. Natsu being talented at drawing had plastered various posters that illustrated different characters from diverse video games. In bright red was written centipede, the major attraction of their kiosk. The thing looked really attractive with all its bright colors and the big machine looking like a gigantic monster.

It was an antic, but people still enjoyed playing that game even after all these years.

And then she saw him. He was staring at their chef-D'oeuvre, sweat gleaming on his forehead.

She restrained her laugh as he wiped the sweat away with the gigantic tail hanging lazily between his legs.

He looked like a giant purple dinosaur.

The big goofy head was resting on the ground beside his massive feet as he finally picked it up ready to put it on his head.

As it was about to cover his handsome face, he turned around and stared in her direction with wide eyes.

She stopped breathing, afraid he had recognized her.

 _Okay! Just change your voice and say something nice!_

"Hey! Did ya know that Barney was my favorite?" she said wanting to punch herself in the face for using such a lame pick-up line.

The red was creeping to her face as he stood there watching her with a bewildered expression as if trying to figure out what the heck that girl was all about.

"Bloomy is it you?" he asked unsure.

"Yeah! It's crazy how time changes a person, no?"

"Yeah, sorry I wasn't expecting you so early… Not that I don't want to see you…I mean I've been craving that moment since… I am not desperate I…Gosh why is it so difficult to talk to you all of a sudden…" he said stammering.

"I am not sure to understand what you are trying to say, but hey thanks anyway" she answered more confidently this time.

 _He didn't recognize me!_

As he blushed awkwardly and stammered, Lucy felt the stress slowly going away slowly replaced by simple glee. He hadn't noticed the resemblance between her now and the Lucy he despised so much.

And she was pretty sure she was glad of that.

She tried convincing herself as a little doubt surged in her body. Deep down, in her heart, she wished he had understood who she truly was… And most importantly had still loved her after that.

But she pushed that thought away as she smiled in his direction and came closer.

She couldn't stay much away from him or else it would look suspicious.

"What are you dressed up as?" he asked not looking her in the eye.

"Juliet… What is it? You don't like it?" she asked knowing perfectly the reason why he looked at the ground as if fascinated.

"No… It's not that at all! You are…beautiful" He answered and stared at her right in the eyes, red in the face like a bright tomato.

"Well then thanks! I like yours too" Lucy responded laughing.

"It's a dragon for your information okay. Do not get mistaken with Barney." He quickly told her.

"What is the difference between the two anyway?" She screamed as she burst out laughing.

"One is a dragon the other a dinosaur."

"But what is the physical difference between the two."

"There isn't" he admitted.

"But to me it's a dragon!" he added with a sheepish grin.

"If you say so" she teased him.

"Anyway, aren't you paired up with somehow for this task?" she added.

"I will be lucky if she shows up."

"She… Oh you are in team with your girlfriend?"

"Yeah of… Wait…NO!… I hadn't understood clearly. That girl is not my girlfriend. I was forced to be her teammate."

"Oh… Okay! You don't have to worry about this! I was just curious! It would have been nice to go on a double-date someday with her if she had been your lover though!"

"What do you mean?" Natsu said trying not to break.

"I have been dating Daniel for the past two years! He is really nice! Oh, I take it you are still single… Would you like me to find you a girlfriend?"

"No… it will be fine" he answered with the fakest grin she had ever seen on his face.

It was nice meeting you after all this time!" she said

"Where are you going?" he answered, panic readable in his voice.

"Well, as much as I would love to spend the rest of the day with you, I also have a kiosk to attend to! I'll come later to beat you at centipede don't worry!"

"Cool, I'll be eagerly waiting! Oh, and by the way! Forget our bet okay?"

"Why? I would love to see you dressed up as a pink princess!"

"I don't think you'll find it funny when your boyfriend will see you with me at prom!" he answered, trying to hide his anger.

"He's older and couldn't come, so he won't mind if I actually go with my best friend! That is if I lose, which I am not planning on doing!" she answered and started running away.

-X-

Natsu looked at her running away, the distance separating them growing bigger as the seconds passed.

And when she disappeared from his peripheral vision, he pressed both hands to his face and breathed hard, trying to restrain the tears from falling.

-X-

The bell rang as she sprinted inside the women's bathroom quickly changing into her other costume.

Finally ready, she slapped herself hard across the face.

Why had she done that?!

She had gotten annoyed at the fact that he praised Bloomy. The way he looked at her with hearts in his eyes as she was lying straight to his face without feeling an ounce of guilt.

And now, she had invented herself a boyfriend to get him to what?

Love Lucy Heartfilia? The piece of crap she had become?

To hate her former self?

 _I am a monster. I didn't want to break his heart and yet I just did in the instant of a few misplaced words…_

She got out of the cabin and stared herself in the mirror, her hand printed in bright red across her left cheek.

 _No, you are going to fix this. Without revealing him yet who you are! You can do this!_

And with that train of thoughts she got out of the bathroom and went straight for her kiosk.

-X-

"You are late!" he said gruffly as he put the stupid purple head on his head not bothering to hide his sadness.

"No need to talk to me in that way. I had to prepare for the kiosk. Nice to see that you dressed up as a loser as usual." She responded.

 _No, that's the old Lucy! You can do better than that!_

As he marched away, she came closer and tapped him on the shoulder.

"I am sorry for what I just said, okay? You look like a truck rolled you over and I am in no right to bash on you when you made the effort to dress up as something as funny as Barney." She told him.

"No need to be nice. You have never been before so don't bother."

"It's this girl, again isn't it?" she asked.

"Look I don't want to talk about it. We have a kiosk to prepare."

"Everything is ready. Thanks to you."

"You at least brought the video game here" he simply said.

"About that… I made Guigui and Cana bring it to school. Cana insisted after what I did for her… Or at least what she thinks I did for her"

"Well then, forget what I just said."

"Look, will you be gloomy all day? Because with that horrible face of yours, nobody will come to our kiosk. I don't care about prom, but I want to graduate as much as you do. So, put that drama aside and… I don't know… forget about her!"

"It's not that easy when you love someone."

"What good will it give you if you mourn her all day anyway? She friend zoned you… There's no escaping that zone."

"How do you even know that?"

"Well I guessed by the way you looked, plus I saw her kissing a dude on my way to our kiosk." She lied.

"Nice reminder." He groaned.

"Look if she is stupid enough to choose a guy like Daniel as a boyfriend she doesn't deserve you. You look out for the people you care about and even the ones you hate. You are like a ball of energy always spreading happiness by your simple presence. You are funny and dress up in the most horrible costumes simply because you don't seem to care what people think of you. You can make anybody smile… Even me! And we both hate each other so…"

"You knew her and Daniel were together?" he said looking mad.

"Look, I just complimented you! You could at least thank me for that! Plus, I know her because she fits your type of girl. We used to be friends before and Daniel was somebody I used to know. He is popular at Edolas Academy."

"I just can't believe I haven't notice she couldn't be into me." He confided.

"There must have been hints…No?"

"She said she would dream about me…Said she would go to prom with me if she lost at a game of centipede against me."

"I know these can be interpreted as interest in you, but they can also be perceived in a friendly matter. Even though I agree with you on that… You are cleverer than I thought" she simply said.

"Will you compete against her today?" she inquired.

"Yes, I have to. I don't want her to see I loved her because she can still be a great friend of mine in the end…"

"What if you win?"

"I don't know…"

"Then you'll have to lose."

He glared at her and nodded.

-X-

Money was pouring from their little bucket as the line grew longer and longer as the minutes passed.

Lucy was adding contestants after contestants. She wrote her pseudonym on the list as he wasn't watching and waited for his approval to start the contest.

"Before we start the competition, it would be a great to make sure the video game is actually working she told him as he stared at the fan, the mouth of the dinosaur the only hole which could provide him some fresh air.

He nodded.

"Okay I'll play." She said

She forced herself to be bad at the game and lose as quickly as possible because she knew one try could go on for minutes for both of them.

"It works" she stated.

And looked at the gigantic list of contestants she had written down on papers.

"Ready?" she questioned him.

He gave her a thumb up and stared at the group of people waiting.

"Alright everybody here are the rules. Each one of you will play once. The ten people who will have the highest scores will get to participate in round two and finally, the winner of the competition will get to compete against me. If you get a higher score then me, you'll get your money back and a kiss from my partner here." He simply said and laughed when she punched him on the shoulder brutally.

"The last thing's a joke. We'll give you a box of gummies." He said as he massaged his sore arm.

"Any questions?" Lucy asked the crowd.

Silence answered her.

"Then, let the competition begin." She screamed.

The first participant came and started playing.

 **-X-**

"I am going to get some water, it's hot in here. Think you can handle the kiosk for a few minutes? " Natsu said.

"Sure, no problem" Lucy answered and grinned.

Time for Bloomy to show what she was capable of.

Looking around and making sure he was nowhere to be seen, Lucy took place in front of the video game.

"Lucy is going to play! What a farce! As if she was going to beat any of us" Sting said laughing.

"We'll see about that" she answered and started playing.

Minutes passed and as her score grew bigger and bigger, Sting's face was getting paler and paler.

Hearing Natsu coming back, she purposely lost, knowing pertinently that she was tenth, having memorized the number of points people had scored before her.

"Okay! The ten contestants that will get to compete will be…" she started as Natsu appeared dressed in casual clothes this time.

" GoryBastard, ThePrettiest, BarneySucks, CoconutHaricutIsLit, SexyRedDress, ILoveChocolate, BigFatNerdyBoy, SnapeIsBae, ChipotleIsMyLife and Bloomsbury." She finished.

"Bloomy was here" he murmured so only her could hear.

"Yeah, she left seconds ago. She'll probably come back though…" she answered.

"Couldn't you have told me that sooner?" he groaned.

"I would have loved to, but you weren't there." She simply explained.

"I won't miss her this time. I'll stay for the whole games." He responded.

"Sounds good to me" she said trying to hide her nervousness.

"Anyway, it's my turn to take a pause. See ya later" she said and tried hiding her bag of clothes as best she could as she sprinted to the bathroom.

"Man, Lucy was so goddamn good! Sting you were stupid to say she didn't stand a chance! She might even beat Natsu" Lector yelled as he slapped Sting on the shoulder.

"Lucy beat me? As if! She barely made fifty points to test the machine and she rushed. She is no match for me."

"We've seen her play minutes ago and she totally blasted our scores. Look the name Bloomsbury and you'll see I am not lying!" Lector said and pointed the sheet of points.

"What is it you've said? Lucy and Bloomsbury aren't the same person! Bloomy is a friend of mine and…"

"Lucy is your girlfriend." He finished.

"She is not my girlfriend! Now stop saying nonsense and play!" he said, really mad.

-X-

Lucy quickly changed back in the red dress and ran back to the kiosk strapping the mask to her face as she sprinted.

"Is it my turn yet?" she yelled as she arrived at the kiosk.

"Yes" Natsu simply answered a weird expression crossing his features.

"Are you okay?" she asked again with that fake voice of hers as she directed herself to the machine.

She didn't get to hear his answer as it was drowned by the yells of protestation of Lector.

"What are you doing? It's Lucy who should be playing we saw her make that high score earlier. Wait until she comes back!" he screamed.

 _Shit_

 _Find a solution and quick._

"Oh… The competition as already started… Do you mind if I join late then" she said.

"Yes!" The other contestants answered in unison.

"Look, it's my kiosk and I want her to compete so we will gladly let her!" Natsu shushed them.

"Thanks" she answered with glee.

"You'll thank me later when I'll have to show you mercy and not beat your score to a pulp." He barked more aggressively than he would have wished.

And so, she started playing.

-X-

She was ranked first place as all of the guys glared at her in adoration.

"Lucy is disqualified" Natsu screamed.

The other guys looked at her with such surprise in their eyes that it actually made her feel good and proud of herself for once in a long while.

"Do I get to replay if the guys don't be my high score?" she asked.

"No, of course not. So, misters, listen carefully, the score you have to beat is ten thousand points." Natsu exclaimed.

As the guys started playing, Natsu marched away from the kiosk.

"Where are you going?" asked Lucy

"To the toilet" he lied.

"Alright! Can't wait to beat you at the final!"

"Sure" he answered.

He then directed himself to a group of popular girls. He tried acting confident as he approached them, the statement of the other guys inserting a doubt in his mind.

What if…

"Mirajane" he drawled.

"What do you want loser? Get lost." She simply responded not even bothering to look him in the face.

"I have a request" he continued unfalteringly.

"And I don't care" she snapped as her girlfriends laughed like idiots.

"What is Lucy's number?"

"She is your girlfriend. You should know that"

"Look, I am not asking a lot of you. You don't even have to use your none-existent brain-cells to help me!" he snarled.

"What is it you said?" she asked venom coating her words.

"Don't make me repeat myself."

"Here" she simply said as she typed it rapidly on the cellphone he was handing her.

"Thank you very much" he told her, sarcasm dribbling from his mouth as he sat on a nearby bench away from people's glares.

He knew perfectly well Bloomy's cellphone number since he had spent countless night staring at it while grinning.

But this time, when he saw it was identical to Lucy's his heart sank.

-X-

Natsu stood up, rage burning his eyes as tears made their way on his cheeks.

There was only one thing left to do.

If Bloomy and Lucy truly were the same person, then the girl under the mask would be that wannabe bitch he hated so much.

It would explain why she still hadn't come back from her pause…

He reached the kiosk in a few steps and tried to stay calm.

"Good thing you've arrived! You'll get to compete against me!" the traitor said.

"I am really glad to compete against you, Lucy." Natsu answered.

Shocked, she stopped in her tracks and stared at him with wide brown orbs.

He took the opportunity to take off her mask before she could do a single thing.

The reality of it hurt him too much.

Lucy was staring at him blankly.

And she was…

Happy.

Glad.

She looked relieved he had figured out who she truly was and it made him sick.

"Congratulations, here are your candies" He said and threw the bag in her face as he left the kiosk without a look back.


	14. Chapter 14

**Hello! I hope you guys will like this chapter! Don't forget to leave a review!**

 **And… See ya'll soon!**

He didn't sleep that night. Her broken face stared at him as the bag of gummies hit her face with a silent thud.

He remembered hearing cries of surprise in the background as he ran away trying to save his pride as water flood from his eyes.

His heart hurt so bad. He felt every inch of it pulse in anger. He saw her standing above him, treating him like shit. He saw her insult him, pretend she didn't know who he was.

He saw her leave his life once again.

He saw the scars marring her body on multiple occasions, glaring while she didn't notice.

And he knew all along who was responsible for these.

Yet he hadn't done a single thing to help her when she most needed it. Blaming his hate for her.

Or was it love he was ashamed of?

That feeling he had felt all along whenever he stared at her. These flutters he had tried to ignore whenever she swayed by.

All of them kept in a locked part of his heart. All this time as she made him suffer.

But to what end and for what means was she so cruel?

If she truly enjoyed seeing him on the ground feeling bad, why had she said such nice things to him after literally breaking his heart?

Was it regrets he had read in her eyes each and every time he had glanced her way?

Alone, he let himself break again. His hand reached for his pink locks as he pulled at them, trying to relieve himself from the guilt ripping at his soul.

But the burning passion inhabiting him wouldn't shut down. A fire was roaring inside waiting to get some air and be released.

A flame he had so many times extinguished as his mind took control over his actions. Or at least it felt like it.

Because each and every time he tried to fall asleep, her face popped in his mind. A smile so bright and slender hands intertwining with his.

Utopia.

Paradise.

How could that even be possible?

A girl that had been mean to him for as long as he had known her.

Or thought he knew her.

And yet, these feelings he had tried to repress… As the days passed by, that sensation, even though he hated it with all of his being, was taking control over him.

Because his heart knew that she wasn't what she had pretended to be.

And he had ignored it all along. Persuaded he was crazy.

Natsu wiped his tears and pressed his face hard against his wet pillow.

Why?

He wanted to understand.

But somehow couldn't.

 **-X-**

She had been rooted to the spot unblinking for minutes as her nose had hurt like hell. She expected shock and tears to pour as she had done so many times before. But somehow, she only felt as if the pressure had been lifted off her shoulders.

People all around were glaring as she smiled and sat on the ground holding her nose in her tiny all too white hands.

As if awaking from a trance or finding the divertissement had finally ended, they all left. Not bothering even a glance back as they quickly packed their things and vacated at their own selfish occupations.

What they didn't see was the pain behind the smile as the truth of it all slammed into her.

She still grinned, genuinely as she had always done while her hands where occupied covering her nose and her tears at the same time.

She had cried so many times before and felt so ashamed of it she had learned how to do it without even a sound.

She had learned to make her pain and sufferance invisible to others. And yet there she was again alone, on the ground vulnerable and broken.

"Let's get you some place nice" a feminine voice whispered close by as a hand patted her blonde hair.

She knew that voice.

"I am fine Cana" she tried as she smiled it off and acted through the pain.

But it seems she wasn't very convincing.

Cana started tugging hard against her arm, as she helped her up.

"You are going to tell me the whole story right now." She simply answered as she dragged her to the nearest bench.

Lucy never felt so grateful.

Even though she had claimed she wanted to be alone, she wanted, deep down a shoulder to cry on. A sole presence to listen and help her up.

She just never thought that such a person would ever come to her.

And so, without further thoughts, she told her everything.

But this time, she didn't leave behind any part of the story.

She gave her the truth, and all of it.

 **-X-**

"We have to do something about this!" Cana simply answered at the end of Lucy's miserable tale.

"I wish I could, but my father destructed all of the proof. That's why I have been enduring all of these years."

"What about these injuries you have? If you sent pictures to someone… Pictures of your bruises…" Cana tried.

"Nowhere does it say that my father gave these to me. Plus, he broke the camera on my phone. There's nothing at home that can be used against him." Lucy answered exasperated.

"And Natsu… Can't he help you with anything?"

"You said he filmed you once." She added.

"He saved me from a molester… It doesn't help our case. Plus, he hates me at the moment, probably more than when he thought I only was Lucy."

"You should try to reach him"

"He won't respond the phone."

"Have you tried?"

"I am too scared of being rejected again…" Lucy whispered.

"We'll find a way" Cana said, trying to be optimistic.

"I believed in that lie my whole life."

"But this time, it will be the one" Cana cheered.

"Thank you for still believing. I'll try to do the same." Lucy answered as she saw a familiar black limo awaiting her.

She sprinted to the black limo and sat silently beside the man she despised so much.

Hope was all she had left.

A small flicker of light in a world full of darkness.

And yet it held on, all of this time.

So, she would try, a little while longer.

To believe, in a new shot at life.

 **-X-**

They didn't speak to each other as they sat on opposite benches.

It was their final literary class. The teacher had asked students to volunteer and act in a play she had written for the sheer pleasure of it.

People around them where getting ready and yet, they felt as if it only was the two of them.

The cold stare he sent her way made all of her bravery fade as she tried looking away in shame and guilt.

What she didn't know was that he did actually feel the same.

He couldn't look away. Thinking about all he had put her through. Throwing a tantrum while she had cope with so much, alone.

He hated himself and the pleading glare she was sending his way.

It seemed to tell him how sorry she was.

And yet, he felt responsible for everything.

He wanted to stand up and tell her it wasn't her fault.

That everything was fine.

But the thing was it wasn't.

Because he loved her.

Because he wanted to save her.

And he was still trying to find a way out for her.

A way to free herself from the cage her father had thrown her in.

 **-X-**

"Shit! Shit! Shit!" screamed the literary teacher as she ran around panicked.

"What's wrong?" asked a student.

"The main leader of the play is sick and the main girl doesn't want to play her part with a male other than him" she explained as sweat beaded her forehead and she kept on running around as if it would help her find a solution.

"How is this romance supposed to work if the main characters aren't even there" she added, sighing and looking around.

"Lucy and Natsu are dating. It shouldn't be hard for them to act." Another one offered.

"But they don't know the script…"

"I am sure they can pull off something."

"Would you, consider doing the roles" the teacher finally asked at both of them as they didn't look her way.

Natsu hadn't said they weren't dating this time…

How strange…

The said male looked at the teacher. She had given him an opportunity to arrange things.

"I don't mind." He simply offered.

"Lucy?" The teacher asked.

She simply nodded.

 **-X-**

It was the story of two young teenagers deeply and madly in love, despite the disagreement of the girl's dad.

How ironic.

It wouldn't be hard for him to stick to the script.

Natsu had quickly made up a plan in his head.

And hoped with all his might it would work.

 **-X-**

"Tell me the truth" Natsu said.

"What truth is there to tell you when I haven't lied to you even once in my entire life?" she responded back.

"Truth about all the cruelty you put me through all of these years."

He saw shock on her face as she realized where he was slowly leading them.

He wanted the truth. The absolute truth, right there and right now.

Knowing she couldn't back away, she finally obliged and decided it was time to take off the mask.

He couldn't hate her more anyway…

"I am a murderer"

He looked at her incredulously. And as he was about to answer, she cut him off, not giving him a chance to question what she was about to tell him.

To tell everyone in the theater.

"You never wondered how your father died so easily?"

"We were kids. You couldn't have killed him"

"And yet I did. I doomed him and at the same time your whole life by my simple presence."

"I don't…"

"Just listen." She cut.

"My father never liked you. He always despised your being because of the way I acted when I was around you. He thought I didn't fit the perfect rich girl as I played video games with you and spent so much time doing boyish things. He yearned for control over my life. And wanted me to be the perfect daughter…"

"After he learned you were planning on changing school and attend mine, he tried on multiple occasions to convince your father to keep you away from him. He offered him money, and whatever he wished in exchange of you never getting close to me again. But your father always refused because he saw through me. He saw how miserable I was at home, surrounded by toys and pricy things I didn't really care for. I think he noticed how happy I became whenever I was near you."

"It's probably the reason why he never agreed to back off. Because of that, my father started threatening him in various ways. He tried telling him he would lose his job, and still your father wouldn't back down. He was such a brave man… That is until" she started crying softly, but held on.

"Until he hired a mercenary to kill your dad. Because he thought he was a nuisance. He killed him because of me. Because I met you." She screamed at the top of her lungs not restraining her tears.

"I knew that already" he simply answered.

She glared back at him, fright deforming her features.

"It wasn't hard to look through. It made sense. I was expecting that kind of behavior from such a horrendous man."

"But how…" she started.

"Even though I was just a kid, your father didn't hold back against me. Whenever I would be walking back from school, he would stop by and threaten to hurt my father. He would look at me with that grim smile and narrate all sorts of torture he would do just to make sure I never got close to you. I told Igneel about that, about the intimidation he put me through, about that behavior of his, which started to make me think that maybe, for the sake of everybody I should just forget you. But my father was against that. He, instead told me to fight for the people I loved, just as he knew my feelings for you. He said he would try to find a way to get you out of this mess, a way to find proof and get him incarcerated…"

"My guardian, Igneel, whom I always considered like a father was ready to put his life into danger because he had faced the same situation once, but he hadn't help the said person when she needed it. And because of that, she had died. He felt as if he had gotten a chance to erase his mistakes by saving you."

"I learned that the day I read his testament."

"You see? I am responsible for this! If you hadn't met me, nothing would have happened!"

"You can't control faith nor the actions of others. I don't blame you for what happened. The only person that should feel an ounce guilty is your dad. Because he is the cause of everything bad that went on in your life."

"Now give me the truth." He grimly said.

"About what?" she squeaked.

"Why did you go out with Sting? Why did you make my life hell all of these years?" he simply answered.

"Because I had to keep you away from him. For your safety. If I dated the guy he liked, then I was away from trouble. He would let me live. Plus, I couldn't risk the chance of you finding out who I truly was… Because I knew that I would grow attached to you. I knew that I would just cause you more pain than I already had. So, the only solution I found was to make you hate me. To tell you such atrocious things you would look my way with burning rage…"

"But I never hated you." He responded.

 _Just for the sake of the happy ending, he'll say this. Alright, I am ready!_

"Each and every time I looked at you, I had a feeling you were that girl I lost when I was just a child. I couldn't understand why butterflies were fluttering in my stomach as you treated me like complete trash. I couldn't understand how hard it was to pull away from you. It was as if a strange force was always attracting me towards you."

"Look, cut the crap about loving me alright?" Lucy screamed.

"I don't deserve it. I never did a single thing for you when you needed it. I always broke your heart. So stop pretending and leave me alone." She cried.

"And what did I do to help you? What did I do when I saw these scars all over your body? What did I do when you told me your own dad had done this to you? Nothing! Nothing! And yet, you believe I deserve all of the glory? You deserve to be the broken wretch simply because you did what you thought was good for me?"

"I acted like a coward. You should have known this all along so you could keep away. Instead, I made you believe in the existence of that soulmate of yours. A character. Not a real person."

"You are the bravest person I know. You sacrificed everything you loved just to get me to have a shot at happiness. And you call that being a coward? You knew how I would react if I had known sooner."

"Bloomy was a character. But Lucy Heartfilia isn't." he added

Lucy stared at him bewildered. These weren't the names of the characters they were supposed to play…

What was he planning?

"And I am in love with Lucy Heartfilia." He said.

Before she could do a single thing, he already had his hands around her waist, his face pressed close to her ear.

"I am not doing this for the sake of the play. Everything I just said are my real thoughts about you."

"What?" she screamed and became red in the face.

"I have been meaning to did this for a while… Do you grant me permission?" he inquired softly, but loud enough for everybody to hear.

"Permission for what?" she asked.

"I'll take this as a yes" he whispered and pressed his lips against hers.

Silence fell in the hall. People were staring at the two teenagers. Lucy, eyes wide-open and arms outstretched stared at the male so close to her.

She felt the soft weight of his lips against hers and the warmth that came along.

Permitting herself an ounce of joy for once in her life, she pressed both hands to the side of his face and closed her eyes.

If this was a dream, she never wanted to wake up.

But as he pinched her side gently as if he had read her thoughts, she knew that all of this wasn't some fantasy she had created in her mind.

And for once, she understood what happiness felt like.


	15. Chapter 15

**Hey! One chapter left! I hope you'll enjoy this one though! See y'all soon!**

Jude saw his little daughter entangled in the arms of the pink haired man. He saw their lips pressed to each other as people cheered. He saw the peace on her face as she played with his pink locks.

And he couldn't endure it. Rage was pounding inside his whole being.

The blood was rushing to his head as he saw red. He wanted this guy dead for placing his filthy hands on pure little girl. For contaminating her with his filth.

But he said nothing. He only watched from the distance already plotting the end of the said man as he crushed whatever it was he was holding with his bare fist. His knuckles were bony white and gripped tightly as his nails bit into his skin leaving a small trail of blood.

The little droplets of the crimson liquid fell to the floor in a silent answer as he looked at the couple, his face contorted with rage finally showing the monster that he was.

He left the place, not bothering to make a single noise as he closed the door silently behind him and went directly to his office.

-X-

He silently composed the e-mail meant for Natsu as he chose carefully his words trying not to be too obvious about his plans. He was basically calling him for a meeting in his office after class hours to discuss his grades. What that piece of shit didn't know was that he was planning right away on telling him that people were waiting outside to punish Lucy for her behavior. And that the only way for him to save her, was to follow him some place to discuss the matter.

There would be, of course, no discussion there, but a lot of suffering. A lot of fist throwing deep punches into his gut until he passed to the other world. And other tricks that would spill his blood on the filthy ground until it left the entirety of his body.

As for his daughter, she would get the punishment she deserved and the loss of that stupid boyfriend of hers.

And finally, finally she would be totally at his mercy. Having killed her soulmate, she would be broken for the rest of her days and be the faithful little bitch he wanted her to be. She would marry Sting in order for both of their families to benefit a lot of money and propel their business.

And life would be perfect. Just as it should always have been.

With that train of thoughts, Jude pressed the enter button and grinned as the e-mail sent the clues to the pink haired fool's end.

-X-

They were both kissing again making up for the numerous years they were separated from each other.

And then his cellphone buzzed.

He pulled away and looked for the person who had sent the message.

He blinked twice as he read the name of Lucy's father aloud.

Colours left her entire body as she heard him pronounce the name that scared her since she was born.

"What is it about?" she asked shivering.

"He said it's about my grades."

"You won't go there will you?"

"Why not?"

"It's obviously a trap! My dad might have seen us kissing or heard about it. As far as I know he might be waiting for you to come into his office to beat you so hard you might not be able to walk for a couple of months. And that is if he feels generous."

"Did you really think I was going to head to his office unprepared?" He said and winked at her.

"What is it?" she inquired.

Natsu didn't answer and simply sent her the video he had taken of her explaining how she had gotten all of her injuries.

She looked at him bewildered.

"It still doesn't prove it's him that did all of this to me. I could have lied."

"That's why I am heading to his office. I will make him confess. And since we are on school territory, there won't be much he'll be able to do against me." Natsu replied.

"He will never lay a finger on you again" Natsu added.

"You can't expect me to make you risk your life for me. You already lost your dad!"

"You won't make me. I already decided. And there's nothing you can say or do that will stop me from doing it."

"Then let me come with you."

"If you come it will be more complicated. Let me deal with this. I am stronger than what you think."

"It's not a question of strength. This battle is already unfair. My dad doesn't play by the rules. He doesn't mind cheating if it means getting what he wants."

"I never said I'd play fair either. Look, if anything goes wrong… Forget it, we will win this. I already know who can help me if there's some sort of problem." He simply said and stood up.

"Where are you going?"

"I have a meeting to attend." He said and grinned.

-X-

Natsu barged into Gray on his way to the principal's office. He had texted him seconds earlier because he requested his help.

"Now what do you want?" Gray asked.

"I want you to help me save my girlfriend."

"What is all this bullshit about your girlfriend? I heard you kissed Lucy Heartfilia on stage a few hours ago."

"Lucy and Bloomy are the same person. She is my girlfriend. And the story is long so I'll explain to you later. What matters for the moment is your answer. Will you help me or not?"

"What do you want me to do?"

"I'll be filming her father and make him confess he beat her up to get him to go to jail. I want you to stand beside the door and look out for when I am leaving. I'll give you my cellphone. And I want you to call the cops and give them these proofs so he can be arrested."

"Are you nuts? You plan on fighting her dad or some shit?" Gray whispered.

"He probably saw me kissing her. So, I'm probably already dead to him. It's a question of saving myself and the woman that I love more than just an act of heroism. Though, even though he didn't know I would still have done it."

"Man, you are crazy!"

"Is that a yes or a no?"

"Don't get yourself killed" was all he said before he sat on a nearby bench and pretended he was interested in some magazine laying on a nearby table.

"What will you say, if he asks you to leave? We are kinda close to his office…"

"I'll tell him… That I was waiting for you because we were going to meet after the appointment for some school project." Gray responded

"Or I'll hide and wait for you to come back" he added.

"You'll just have to slip your cell in a dragon book and give it to me." Gray said.

"How do you know…"

"You always have a freaking dragon book in your backpack." He simply answered and went back to the magazine.

-X-

Natsu waited for Jude Heartfilia to open the door.

As his muscular frame appeared in his peripheral vision, Natsu stoop up and pressed the play button on his cellphone starting the recording. The move looked natural and yet he had managed to catch quickly a glimpse of Jude's face proving he would be the man confessing his heinous crimes in the next minutes.

"No cellphones are allowed in my office." the old man said.

"Don't worry, I've closed it." Natsu said as he showed him the black screen provided by his fingers pressed against the camera.

The man looked satisfied with his answer. And Natsu slid the cell in his pocket as he entered the room.

The man closed the door and sat at his desk, a fake grin plastered on his face.

"Let's get right to the point, shall we?" Natsu simply answered and smiled as well.

"I thought you wanted to talk about your grades… I had invited you for that purpose." The man simply said.

"But you are right. It seems we have a much more important matter to discuss." He added.

"Yes, mostly you beating Lucy up." Natsu spat.

"I do not see what you are talking about."

"Don't try to play smart with me. Your daughter is covered in bruises and she claims you did this to her."

"The cunning little liar! I would never do such an awful thing to my own daughter…"

"Unless she dated a guy like me" Natsu continued.

"The fact that you put your filthy hands on her body would surely gave me a purpose to punish, but that would be concerning you only."

"Oh really, and what are you planning on doing to me?"

"What is the fun in spoiling you the surprise?"

"Cut the bullshit and just tell me already. I have better things to do."

"Like fucking my daughter?" the man asked with a snarl.

"Precisely" Natsu answered.

The cocky bastard.

"It seems I had other projects for both of you tonight."

"May I be informed of them?" he asked arrogantly.

"You actually have a choice."

"Continue…"

"I sent a guy after Lucy. His profile said he was quite muscular and had a feeble for young blonde virgin women…"

"You wouldn't dare!" Natsu screamed.

"What is wrong with that? What if she doesn't know it was me who sent him? Everything went fine the other two times… Didn't they?"

"What do you mean…" Natsu said as he understood.

"You sent those perverts hoping they would rape her? You were going to pay them for the crime they committed against your own daughter?" Natsu blurted mad.

"I wanted to teach her a lesson. I wanted to show her how cruel the world was. This way, she wouldn't question my decisions and be my servile little dog, just as I always wanted her to be. Unfortunately, she inherited her mother's temper…"

"What do you want me to do?"

"Nothing. I don't see what you are talking about."

"What. Do. You. Want. Me. To. Do. In. Order. For. Her. To. Be. Safe." Natsu repeated.

Silence fell in the office.

"You'll have to follow me and look like you are not forced to accompany me to whatever place we go. I must not raise suspicions. In exchange, I might ask the man to leave her alone before it's too late."

"No. Promise he won't touch her."

"I am making the rules. You don't get to change them."

"Promise me."

"The time is ticking."

"PROMISE ME!"

"As the seconds pass, he gets closer to her. I can't imagine her face when she'll see him. A member of her own family."

"Shut the fuck up!"

" I….I agree"

"Easier than I thought it would be. You really seem to like my daughter."

 _Too bad you'll never see her again._

"It seems we have come to an agreement. We have a place to go now. Shall we?"

-X-

Their little stunt had miraculously worked.

Natsu sat in the black limo, sweat beading his forehead. He wasn't stressed for what would be happening to him in the next few hours. All he could think of was Lucy pressed against a wall, an old uncle doing her things against her own will. He wanted to punch the man.

He wanted to save her, but he was hopeless.

He just wished the man would keep his promise no matter what happened to him.

-X-

Gray had immediately called the cops and told them the said man was driving a black limo. He hadn't been able to identify the matriculation plaque, but still gave them an overall precise description of the whole vehicle.

He then immediately called Lucy.

He felt relief pour over him as he heard her answer the call.

He asked her if she felt threatened by anything in particular.

She told him her uncle would be coming to pick her up in a couple of minutes and that everything was fine.

"You can't enter that car."

"Why?" Lucy asked panic rising in her voice.

"Look, Natsu gave me his cell. Your old man paid that cranky old bastard of an uncle you have, to rape you. Don't get in that car. Go away."

"What the fuck are you talking about?" she asked

"Where is Natsu? Why did he give you his phone?" She screamed on the other end.

"He is in the limo with your dad. He promised that if he followed him, the uncle wouldn't rape you. Look, tell me where you are. We'll figure something out."

"Magnolia street. The arcades… Fuck" she said and hung up.

"Lucy? LUCY?" Gray gripped the phone and started running.

-X-

Lucy saw her uncle's car approaching. She didn't think twice and entered the arcades. If she was lucky, Guigui would be there and help her out.

"What's wrong?" asked Guigui as he saw her rushing in, panting and sweating like crazy.

"I have to hide. Quick." She looked out the window and saw the car stop."

"Here, get behind the counter. Don't move until I tell you to." He told her as she did so.

A man entered a minute later.

"Excuse me, I am looking for my niece. She is tall, blonde and quite pretty. Have you seen her?" the said old man asked.

"I am afraid I don't know who you are talking about. I have never seen such a girl or else I would have remembered." Gildarts replied.

"Stop lying to me" the man simply said.

"I am telling the truth bro. I seriously have not seen such a girl."

"It says she is here." He answered and showed him his cellphone.

They had put something in her cellphone in order to localize her.

"Look, I am sorry in advance. It's nothing personal" Gildarts said and punched the man in the face, knocking him out cold.

The man fell to the ground like a heavy sack of potatoes.

"Give me his cellphone." Lucy said.

"What the fuck is wrong with your family?" Gildarts asked concerned as he gave her the said phone.

"I don't have time to explain"

"You look nervous. Everything is fine. If another man comes close to you, just be sure I'll hit him even harder than the first one. No one will lay a finger on you unless you want to."

"Thanks, but I am not concerned about myself at the moment."

"Paternal instincts on, sorry. Now what is it?"

"Do you have a car?"

"Why?"

"I'll be needing one"

"Again, for what purpose?"

"Natsu is in danger."

-X-

Lucy entered the car and looked on her uncle's cellphone, localizing her dad. She had brought hers too to make her dad think she was still with the old pervert.

She felt relief go through her as she saw the car wasn't so far away from her and still driving. It meant Natsu was still alive. For the moment.

Guigui drove and drove exceeding the speed limit.

Adrenalin was pumping through her veins as he drove like a total freak. She was surprised a police officer hadn't already arrested them.

Luck.

At least for now.

As if she had summoned them, she heard the sirens of a police car coming by. Guigui swore and pulled on the side of a street as the car parked behind him.

"Run." Guigui told her.

She heard the door of the police car close. And didn't think twice as she slid of the passenger seat and broke into a run.

She heard the police officer screaming at her, but he was cut off quickly as Gildarts brought his attention motioning for him to come closer as he pledged he was responsible for the speed limit.

The guy, needing to fill his quota of tickets made the wise choice and chose Guigui.

She was relieved and slowed down a bit as she tried catching her breath.

But that short gleeful moment was cut off short as she noticed the dot had stopped moving.

Her father had arrived at its final destination.

And so was Natsu.

-X-

Lucy ran and ran. Coming closer and closer to the fatal dot.

She didn't care about breathing anymore. She would do so when she was sure Natsu was safe and alive.

She finally saw him.

His wrists were tied behind his back and he was forced to stand up as men threw punches at him in his gut and face.

"Don't worry you worthless piece of shit. This is just the beginning."

She didn't even know how he managed to stay awake, enduring all of the pain.

But she was certain of a thing.

She would stop this, because it was her fault everything was happening.

"STOP" she screamed as everybody looked her way, stopping in their tracks.

She knew she had doomed herself at this precise moment, but she didn't care.

Nobody had to suffer because of her anymore.

A guy, took out a knife and was ready to stab him. It seemed he wanted to torture him some more before committing the deed, because he aimed at his face.

His perfect smile.

"I told you to stop" she said and came closer.

Natsu was barely breathing, unable to speak as blood leaked from his swollen face.

"Luce, go away." He whispered with the little of breath he had left in his lungs.

"Lucy, what a pleasure to see you here." Her dad mused.

"Leave him alone. He is not responsible for all of this." She screamed as tears streaked from her eyes.

"You don't get to give me orders, you little whore." He responded.

At that, Natsu spat at the ground aiming for him.

One of the guy prized him with a strong punch in the jaw.

He groaned in pain, but didn't let a tear fall from his eyes. He would stay strong.

"Oh yes I do!" She screamed as she threw her uncle's cellphone at his face with all of her might.

Jude groaned in pain as he massaged his forehead. Using the confusion at her advantage, Lucy started calling the cops.

As she was about to press the final button, Gray called.

"Fiore Street" she answered and hung up.

"It seems our little séance of torture will end sooner than we expected." Jude answered unaltered as he took, from his pocket, a gun.

"Lift him up. I want to pierce holes into every inch of his body that entered in contact with my daughter." The men picked his sagging body in their arms and lifted him up. He was vulnerable and unprotected.

Before he could fire, Lucy was already running.

"Don't let her get close to me." Jude yelled as a man gripped her by the waist.

 _No. Not this time. I won't be the little princess crying for help for mercy. I'll save myself and the one I care about. I'll be the knight in shining armor._

She heard a resounding POW as she saw blood dribble down from one of his ears. The bullet had scraped his ear missing by millimeters his head.

Not giving her father a second chance, Lucy rose her knee and knocked it as hard as she could into the man's balls. As he sagged, she released one of her arms and dropped it ferociously on his nose. Blood erupted from it as the man released her, fully clutching his nose.

Her dad was too concentrated on trying to aim at her mate. She extended both arms in front of Natsu's body in an attempt to cover his vital organs.

"Get out of the way" he told her as a man came behind and started enrolling his arm around her head.

"No" she screamed as she held on position until the guy drove her away, gripping her in a tight head lock.

Under the pressure, she dragged him down with him and as he lost his stability, she jabbed a free hand in his vulnerable region. As his grip loosened, she gripped one of his leg and shove all of her weight on it propelling them both to the ground. The man hit is head to the ground and fell unconscious as blood poured from his head.

She saw the fingers of her dad pressing against the trigger and didn't think twice.

She jumped in front of Natsu as the detonation was heard.

She felt the bullet pierce her a she screamed and fell to the ground, the dark taking over.

-X-

Natsu saw her on the ground, blood coming from her front. The crimson liquid was slowly spreading on the ground as she stayed there, unmoving.

He wanted to scream and to cry, but somehow, a thread snapped in his head. He couldn't stop staring, looking at her, dying on the ground as he stood there watching powerless.

He wanted to move, but was paralyzed.

Dead.

She was dead.

Because of him.

He didn't want to believe it and yet the proof was laying there in front of his very eyes.

Before the father could do another single step in his direction, he heard from far away the sound of footsteps.

But he didn't care as they said "Jude Heartfilia, you are under arrest."

-X-

He would grief over his lost daughter later. He had to flee.

He didn't want to go to jail.

He didn't want to be alone in a cell.

He didn't want to be alone at all.

He wanted his daughter back, he realised.

He tried fighting these feelings as he aimed the trigger at Natsu once more.

"You killed her!" He screamed and before he could pull the trigger yet again, the gun was ricocheting of the wall as the hole in his hand bled.

He tried lunging for the young man too shocked by the event to defend himself, but strong hands kept him away.

Jude hit the man with his elbow and broke for a run thinking he could get his revenge someday.

"Stop running or I'll have to shoot" yelled a police officer aiming his gun at Jude.

Jude kept on running anyway looking back once to look at the corpse of his daughter.

It was enough for his feet to slip where a leg had been seconds ago.

The trigger was pulled.

And as he fell, the bullet aimed at his leg hit his head instead killing him instantly.

Everybody stilled as his blood poured on the floor and his body stiffen.

-X-

Nurses picked him up, but he couldn't even feel their touch as they transported him in a litter.

He couldn't even blink. The image of her, the blonde hair mated with her own red fluid. Her body going stiff. Her silence.

It hunted him as his eyes were gaunt and couldn't look away from her corpse.

He was so stiff they needed to drug him to get him to rest on the little mattress of the litter. He didn't even have enough voice in his vocal cords to screamed her name.

To beg for her to wake up.

And show him she was okay.

She had left and this time, it was for good.

-X-

Lucy felt hands gripping her arms firmly. The blood oozing from her shoulder was inches away from her heart. She had been lucky.

Through her subconscious, she could hear people screaming, bullets and she thought rasped cries.

She forced her eyes to open, trying to show an hint of life. Trying to show her mate she was fine. She would survive.

But it hurt so much.

It felt easier to drop off to sleep.

She tried fighting it, but something slowly poured in her veins and spread darkness fully in her.

She slept, the words still crisped on her lips, ready to reach his ears when she would be ready to utter them in his direction. When she would know they were both okay.

When she knew she would finally be able to have the strength to imagine a future at his side.

But for now, she would have to wait and drift off to fantasy world.

Hoping, that when she woke up, he'd be there waiting for her as he always did.

And would always do.


	16. Chapter 16

**Finally! It is finished! Hope to see you guys in another fanfic soon!**

They were watching TV calmly in the living room. It had been four years since the death of her father.

Since the day she tasted freedom for the first time.

They were both patiently waiting for the pizza they had ordered to arrive as they watched yet again another romance.

Natsu kept on telling her he did it to please her while she perfectly knew he enjoyed them just as much as her, maybe even more.

Someone knocked on the door.

"I'll go" Natsu said and gave a quick kiss to Lucy on the cheek.

This time, he had barely paid attention to the movie. His hands were shaking vigorously the whole time as he waited for the freaking pizza deliverer to arrive.

He had something important to do today.

Something he had been meaning to do for quite a while now.

Maybe his whole life…

He breathed heavily trying to shake the stress away. The said man was waiting with their order. He quickly paid him and rushed back into the kitchen.

As much as he spaced out during the movie, he had watched it alone so many times he knew the scene was going to come. He had to enter the living room at that precise moment.

He didn't want to mess up. Not on such an important occasion.

Natsu searched through the multiple pockets of his pants until his hand gripped a tiny box.

He wiped away the sweat beading his forehead as he whispered the speech he was going to give her, even though he had practiced it so many times before there was no way he would ever forget it.

"Natsu, is everything alright?" she asked.

"Yeah, don't worry" he answered or maybe squeaked? He wasn't sure.

He heard the sound of sheets scratching together.

"Don't move" he yelled as she stopped dead in her tracks.

"I'm coming. I don't need help" he added.

"But I'm hungry!" she whined and went back to the sofa.

"I'm finishing cutting the pieces." He told her.

"Don't wait for me. Keep on watching the movie. I'm on my way." He said softly.

"Melanie, there's something I have to tell you." The man in the TV said.

It was his signal.

He entered the living room and grabbed for the remote before she could say a single thing.

"Finally, foo…" she started and looked at her boyfriend coming in… empty-handed.

"Natsu! Where's the…" she started, but he shut her up with his serious glare, the one he only used in serious occasions, which happened quite rarely.

"Luce, I don't care if you find me cheesy, because from the time we have been together, you know perfectly how corny and pathetic I can be when it comes to you. But I know you love it, else you wouldn't be sharing an apartment with me at the moment and making me feel like the best man on the planet. I love you more than everything and…And I want you to be more than just my girlfriend from now on." He said and kneeled down.

"Luce, will you marry me?" he said as he reached for the ring and pressed open the little box, revealing a shiny diamond ring.

"Hum…There's something I have to tell you first…" Lucy started.

She saw the look on his face changed as stress and maybe pain strained his features.

"I was planning on telling you… But, every time I tried I choked and I think it is necessary for you to know since you want to strengthen our relationship."

"What is it?" he said and tried to force a smile.

"I am afraid I love another person as much as you."

"You have been cheating on me?" he asked as his face became red.

"No… It's not that. Trust me, you'll like him too. Maybe as much as me."

"Do I know that bastard?" he inquired trying to hide his rage.

"Not yet, but you will be soon, because he will be living with us in a couple of months."

"WHAT? No way. I won't permit it. Tell me who he is. Just freaking tell me if you cheated or whatever. I can't endure this anymore. I was so nervous about this whole proposal and now you just drop this out of nowhere. I want explanations now. I want…" he screamed at the top of his lungs.

"I am pregnant." She said.

And before he could say anything else, she added: You are going to be dad.

That's when he started to cry.

"You see that's why I waited" she said coming closer to him.

"Are you sure you still want to marry me?"

"No." he answered.

"It's not even a question. I am marrying you, end of discussion. Unless you don't want me to be your husband."

"I have always dreamed of having the chance to have you as my husband." She answered.

"So that's a yes?"

"Yeah." She answered.

"Good. " Natsu whispered as he slid the ring on her fourth finger and kissed her belly.

"Daddy… Man, I am going to be dad. A little being that will look like me and you…"

"I'm so happy…" He grinned and let tears pour down his cheeks, not bothering to wipe them. He tried saying some more, but could stop the wobbling in his voice.

"So am I." Lucy whispered as she stoked his hair gently.

Their intimate moment was broken by the grumbling of their stomachs.

Natsu quickly went back in the kitchen and came this time with the whole box and a bag of chips.

-X-

"This is how I fell in love with my dear husband" Lucy said in front of the camera as Natsu played with her blonde curls.

"But there are no steps or actions that always work. Everyone is different. Just follow your heart and be yourself. It's all that matters" Natsu added.

"Bye guys! See you all next time" they said in unison and turned off the camera.

They would be posting the video later. Right now, they had far more important things to do.

Like painting dragons on the walls for their future baby girl's bedroom.

Natsu had insisted on that.

And he wouldn't take no for an answer.


End file.
